


Bonded by fate

by XAsueaa



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Adrinette - Freeform, Aged-Up Character(s), Angst and Feels, Comfort/Angst, Dorks in Love, F/M, Falling In Love, Hormonal Teenagers, LadyNoir - Freeform, Ladynoir fluff, Love Confessions, Marichat | Adrien Agreste as Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng, More Fluff, My First Fanfic, Pining, Slow Burn, Teen Romance, UST
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-23
Updated: 2021-01-22
Packaged: 2021-03-03 03:47:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 51,750
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24338359
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/XAsueaa/pseuds/XAsueaa
Summary: How are things going between our 2 superheroes after 3 years? What happens when that one evening changes everything? Will they find their way back? Will things ever be...the same again?...A story about Ladybug developing feelings for Chat Noir through new emotions, realizations and an unexpected, newly found kind of affection towards her, admittedly goofy, cat-themed superhero partner.
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Comments: 23
Kudos: 91





	1. That one evening

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys, so first of all, this is my first fanfiction EVER. I chose to write a Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Chat Noir one, cause I really like the show. So yeah, this is gonna be full of Ladynoir fluff (cause that's my fav ship) but maybe you will also see a little bit of other lovesquare ships. There will also be a bit of sin (for all you sinners out there), so please be aware. As I said, this is the first fanfic I have ever written, so I would really appreciate your feedback, it could help me improve my writing. Please let me know what you think and if you would like to see more. (I will probably write more anyway because I enjoy it lol, but whatever) Anyway, thanks to anyone who will read this. Lastly I want to apologize for any grammar mistakes, english is not my native language.  
> But now, enjoy! ^-^
> 
> (!Warning - this chapter contains sin!)

_It has been 3 years._ 3 years since Ladybug and Chat Noir started their duties as Parisian superheroes. A lot of things have changed. And even though there were some close calls, Hawkmoth is still not defeated. His akumas are getting stronger and smarter each time. But so do our 2 superheroes. Through the time, they became more experienced. They truly learned how to work as a team. They found out about some new powers and now, when Ladybug is the Guardian of the Miraculouses, she is the one who does the leading. She can set her own rules. But...she still doesn't know Chat Noir's identity. She knows she could if she wanted, but...for some reason, she thinks that it is better this way. She's not even sure why, if it's because she is scared that it could affect their teamwork in some way, or because it would still be dangerous and risky. Since Hawkmoth is still undefeated, they have to be responsible. It's her duty now. It has always been. _Right...?_

So yeah....a lot has changed. Including Ladybug and Chat Noir. They are now both 17. They have matured, both psychically and physically. Especially Chat Noir. He was now even taller, more muscular, his shoulders widened, his voice deepened.... _oh his voice_... Ladybug hated to admit it, but....this kitty has grown up to an attractive _cat_. She even found herself checking him out sometimes! But it was just impossible not to. Guess it was something that had to come naturally sooner or later. Not to mention that Chat was checking _her_ out all the time and even joked about it!...

He was still a dork he has always been. Still joky, full of puns (especially the cat ones) and still sometimes flirty and sassy. He was still getting on Ladybug's nerves from time to time. Some of his flirts and jokes were pretty perverted, but for god's sake, _this boy was going through a puberty!_ On the other hand, he became more responsible, at least when it came to their job. Ladybug had always been annoyed when Chat flirted with her during fights. That wasn't happening anymore. Which is great... But don't worry, he never stopped being a jokester. And Ladybug doesn't mind some of his funny comments during fights and missions. It brings joy to their job. Chat has shown her that fighting evil doesn't have to be serious all the time. And...she enjoys this part of him. She knows that's how he is and she doesn't mind. She's actually started to really enjoy Chat's company. Through the years, Chat Noir has become even closer to her... They are an inseparable duo. Although she doesn't know who he really is under the mask, she trusts him with her life and so does he. _They share blind trust. Which is something indeed special..._

And well....she's kinda warmed up to him and his personality. She also got to know Chat's more sensitive side, which showed her a long time ago that he was not just a _flirt_. He is serious about his feelings for her. _They are true and genuine._ They have always been. And Ladybug knows it... But she just doesn't feel the same way about him. _Does she...?_ No. She cares about him, she really does. But not in that way. He is her best friend!...

And besides, there is Adrien. Oh _, oh Adrien._ She still has a crush on him. Marinette just can't help it. But....even after 3 years, he still hasn't responded to her feelings. It's not like she has ever confessed to him. She has never gathered the guts to tell him, so yeah... She was just a friend to him still. How was he even supposed to see her in a different way? She never gave him any clue, signal, _anything_.

Marinette is getting frustrated with herself. How can she be so confident as Ladybug but so lame as Marinette?... She knows that Adrien won't be around forever. After all, they are going to visit their high school for only 2 more years now. Marinette is sure Adrien will leave soon after, to go to the America for his career or to the university. He is a model, son of the famous fashion designer Gabriel Agreste, goddamnit. And of course he is gonna have a girlfriend too, there's just no way he wouldn't. She has to do her move, or she might lose him forever. The problem is, that there's never the right moment...or she just simply can't... What if she gets rejected? What if after that, Adrien wouldn't want to be her friend anymore or things would just get weird between them? He is very important to her. She wouldn't survive losing him like that...

So... what is she supposed to do?... _Wait?_ No....there's no point in waiting. She has been waiting all this time... Should she just wait for the right moment? Is it even worth it? She would probably get turned down... After all, Adrien never liked her in that way, did he?...

Oh well. She really doesn't know what to do. And that's how she found herself sitting on the Eiffel tower, looking at the sunset, thinking about _everything_. When suddenly, she heard someone land behind her. _She knew these steps. She knew who it was._ And before she could turn around to face him, Chat was already right next to her.

"What is M'lady doing here at this hour all alone?" Chat asked, returning his baton on his lower back and sitting down. Ladybug was a bit surprised at first, she didn't expect to see Chat here now. But it didn't take long for her to respond.

"Just thinking about things... I didn't expect you to be out at this hour either. Guess you really are a _stray cat_."

Chat gave her a snort. "Guess you are right. But I am _your_ stray cat."

Ladybug chuckled. "Sure, Kitty..."

"Anyway, what were you thinking about?" Chat asked curiously.

"Just....life...I guess. I actually really like to come here just to think and watch the beautiful view..." Ladybug answered calmly. Chat looked at the Paris below them.

"It is beautiful, indeed. But you know what is even more beautiful?" Chat leaned closer with _that goofy smirk of his_. Ladybug gave him a glare, perfectly aware of what was going on. She rolled her eyes with an ironic smile and pushed him gently away with her fingers, touching his chest.

"Do not start that Chat, you know that won't work on me."

Chat chuckled. "Can't say I didn't try."

Ladybug let out a giggle. "Didn't try what? Seduce me?"

Chat looked at her, making a surprised-kind of face, letting his jaw drop a bit. "Seduce you? _Me?_ Never!" Chat blurted out, dramatically placing his hand onto his chest, in an insulted-like gesture, faking to be offended by her statement. They both laughed. _Oh, what a show-off he is._

Then it was silent for a moment. They were just sitting there, enjoying each other's presence. Ladybug wanted to be alone at first, but she just enjoys to spend time with Chat a little too much. Just to sit there, thinking and just chilling with her most trusted partner, it just feels _great_. When she is with Chat, she can forget about all her problems and responsibilities she has as Marinette. She can be herself with him. She can tell him anything, she knows he would always be there for her no matter what. That's why she decided to ask him for an advice.

"Um....Chat?..."

He glanced at her after hearing her say his name. "Yeah?"

"Do you ever feel like you are... _stuck?_... Like...you just don't know what to do next?"

Chat gave her a confused look at first, then he took his chin with his fingers and frowned thoughtfully as to show that he is thinking about her question. "All the time....but um...why do you ask? Is something bothering you? You know you can tell me anything." Chat said a bit worriedly.

"I....well...um...*sigh*...okay. So... You know how I always talk about that guy I am in love with?..."

There was silence for a moment.

"Yeah... Wait, did he do something to you?! Did he hurt you somehow?! Just tell me and imma find and tear that bastard apart!" Chat blurted out, standing up in a protective manner. Ladybug's eyes widened at his reaction, but she was quick to respond.

"No! No, he didn't hurt me anyhow. What I wanted to say is... That...well, I was never actually in a relationship with that guy. He doesn't even know I like him...and I don't think he even likes me that way back..." Ladybug said gloomily and held her knees close to her chest, placing her chin on top of them, while Chat sat back down beside her.

"What?! No way! So you are telling me that after these whole 3 years he didn't even notice you?! What! That guy is so lucky for the fact you are into him and he doesn't even notice how _amazing_ you are?!" He blurted out and throwed out his hands in the air in disbelief, being a bit angry with someone he didn't even know.

"Chat, I really appreciate that, but... I've never actually told him about my true feelings... I just can't bring myself to....and I might lose him forever...." Ladybug said with a sad expression on her face, looking in the distance.

"Oh..." Was all Chat could say in the moment. Ladybug turned her head to look him in the eyes.

"That's what I wanted to ask you... I just don't know what to do anymore... Should I wait? Should I even try to tell him?...."

Chat looked at her, changing his expression to the more serious one. He took a deeper breath, almost as if he was bracing himself for the choosing of his next words, and placed his hand on her shoulder.

"Ladybug, look.... I'm gonna tell you what I think. I think you are _the most amazing, smart, brave and beautiful girl I have ever met._ You always help people and do what is right. Meeting you and becoming Chat Noir was the most amazing thing that has ever happened to me. You and me against the world, fighting all these akumas... Those have always been my favourite parts of the day... Having you by my side all these years... I can't imagine doing this with anyone else but _you_. And even though I don't know who you are under the mask, I surely do _know you_. And I just know that you are amazing with or without the mask. That guy you talked about is just dumb for not seeing all of that. _And in my opinion, if he is not head over heels with you by now, he is not going to and he is not worth it. He doesn't deserve you. Don't waste time waiting for something that might never happen, or you might never be happy._ And I wouldn't bear that. Ladybug... I know how you feel about me, but believe me when I say, that right now, I am here, sitting next to you on the Eiffel tower..."

He took a breath.

"And _I love you_. _I love you since the first time we met_. _I love you for who you are_. _I would do anything for you_. _Anything for 'us' to happen_... But I also want you to know, that even if you reject me, my feelings will always remain the same and I will always be there for you, no matter what. I won't leave you. I will always protect you, even if it means using my own body as a shield. I will always make you laugh...cause that's what I enjoy and want the most. Making and seeing you happy...." Chat spoke.

Ladybug was staring at him the whole time with wide eyes, blush making it's way to her cheeks. She would _never_ expect Chat to confess like that, _however_ she knew that he was telling the truth from the sincere look on his face. It was the most beautiful and genuine thing she has ever heard him say about her. It was so... _flattering!_ She was shocked and stunned at the same time. She opened her mouth as if to say something, but closed it right after. She was out of words.

She saw Chat blush a little bit under his black mask too. They looked each other in the eyes, the emerald green meeting the ocean blue ones. Ladybug didn't know what was right or wrong anymore. All she knew was that right now, here she was, gazing her precious partner in the eyes and he gazing into hers with their faces inches apart.

 _What should I do?..._ That question ran through Chat's mind. _What would be right and what wrong? What would be her reaction? Would there be consequences? And if so, what would they be?..._

All of sudden, all the hesitation Chat felt faded away in a second, as he started leaning closer to the girl, the light of his life, his first love. Ladybug was breathless at that moment. It was like the world would stop around them, like there were only the two of them and nothing else...

 _This was it. They were going to kiss._ Did she really want to do that? She didn't know or care anymore. It just felt.... _right_. She closed her eyes as her lips got pressed against his.

The sunlight of the sunset was bordering their siluets, as they sat there, kissing, _in the City of love_. It was slow, warm and tender, reverent even. After a little hint of vacillation, Chat placed his gloved hand on Ladybug's waist and pulled her closer to him, closing the distance between them, being careful with his every move. Ladybug gasped a little into the kiss at the unexpected contact, but didn't pull back.

After a second she felt Chat asking for a permission to deepen the kiss, which made her hesitate, but eventually she started to run her hand through his blond locks, as their tongues danced around each other in a gentle sync. Ladybug moaned a little into Chat's mouth, as they slowly broke apart for some air. Both were now breathing heavily, their hearts pounding like crazy, looking each other in the eyes once again, flushed.

"Wow..." Chat breathed out quietly.

Ladybug couldn't believe it. _She just kissed Chat Noir!_ And not just a peck, but a _french kiss!_ The worst thing was that she actually liked it! But how? How did she even get into this situation? It has all happened so fast. She was sure of one thing - she couldn't run away now. She was quickly ripped out of her thoughts, once she felt Chat close again.

"Ladybug....can I....can I kiss you again?..." He whispered softly.

Ladybug was still in shock. She mentally kicked herself as she nodded. _What the hell was she doing?! She didn't want this! Or did she...?_

Chat leaned in again after getting her permission, this time going for a french kiss right away. He cupped her cheek with his hand, while resting the other one on her hipbone. He was really gentle and Ladybug had to admit that he was _hell of a good kisser_. She couldn't help but to melt into the kiss and lean, almost _nuzzle_ against his touch. His soft lips pressed against hers with such eagerness, yet tenderness...it just felt really good...and _loving_. Ladybug could almost feel her heart flutter...

She let her own hand wander along his strong arm, all the way up to his neck and into his hair again. She had her eyes closed the whole time, only focusing on the kissing. That's why she didn't expect Chat's arms to grab her under her thighs and lift her up with him. She gave him a squeak of surprise, grabbing Chat behind his neck and wrapping her legs tightly around his waist, so that she wouldn't fall. Chat's hand on her back reminded her that he would never let that happen. He held her firmly and slowly walked over to the nearest beam of the supporting structure of the Eiffel tower, pressing Ladybug against it.

"Ladybug..." He bent down a bit and whispered passionately into her neck, the tickling of his warm breath on her skin making her shudder, as he settled between her thighs. Ladybug's face was now as red as her suit. Even through the spandex, _she could feel him down there. And boy, he is not a small guy. In any way it seems._

"Ch-Chat..." A soft moan escaped her, as Chat buried his face in the crook of her neck and started kissing her bare skin right below her jaw.

She felt herself heat up. What was going on? She has never been in a situation like this! She felt like she was completely in Chat's control right now. He could do anything and she probably wouldn't be able to stop him... Part of her was nervous...another one was excited...and another one was telling her that Chat would never hurt her or do something she wouldn't like. _She trusted him completely_. And it's not like she could go back after this. Too much has happened. Too much was happening. She couldn't think anymore. The only thing she could focus on was Chat. How he was so close to her... How the kisses felt on her bare skin... How his hand slided along her curves... How she could feel his bodyheat and hear his heartbeat, which she could swear was now pounding in an enormous speed. But most of all - his erection pressed against her.

The new kind of sensations flooded through her body from between her inner thighs up to her abdomen, causing her to shiver. Her heartbeat drummed loudly against her ears and her breath started being unsteady. She felt like her face was on _fire_. She quietly whimpered, shut her eyes tightly and without an intention she tightened the grip of her legs around Chat's waist, pulling him _even closer_ , like if her muscels acted on their own. And that's how she earned a groan from Chat. It sent shivers down her spine...

"Ah...Ladybug.... _I want you_...." Chat breathed out into her ear with desire, sending a flash of heat through her, and pushed his hips against hers in need, while returning his lips onto her soft hot skin anew. Ladybug gasped sharply, digged into the back of his neck with her fingertips in response and rewarded him with her biggest moan yet, together with another whimper coming out of her parted mouth...

Every sound she made was like the most beautiful melody to Chat's ears, it sent sparks inside him. He wanted to hear more... And so he bucked his hips again, pressing himself onto her and pulling her as close as possible. This time he moaned together with Ladybug, overwhelmed with all the sensations he was feeling. He has never experienced such an intimate and exciting moment in his life. _And it was with Ladybug!_ He still couldn't believe that it was really happening.

He let his eyes take her image in for a moment. _She looked beautiful_. Her chest rose and fell with her heavy pants. Her pink lips, swollen a little because of him. Her flushed face... _He loved her. So much._ With every look, every touch, _he knew_... He just wanted to kiss every inch of her body, hold her close like this without ever having to let go. If only-

"...Mmhhh..........Ah, Adrien!..." Ladybug moaned aloud with her eyes tightly closed after another Chat's thurst.

Chat's eyes went wide. _Did she just-?_ No... She didn't know who he was! _Why did she_...

"Wait, did you just..." Chat breathed, suddenly pulling away, looking at Ladybug with a frozen face. Ladybug was confused - _why did he pull away?_

"What... What do you mean?..." She breathed out, still not really processing what's just happened.

"You...you moaned a name...not _my_ name..."

It took Ladybug a few seconds before she realized what she has done, slapping her hand over her mouth. "OH MY GOD, CHAT, I'M SO SORRY! I DIDN'T MEAN TO MOAN HIS NAME!"

Chat remained at the same spot, still frozen. " _His_ name? Is that the guy you are...in love with?" He asked plainly in a low voice.

Ladybug looked at him with a frustrated face. "I -....uh...*sigh*...yeah...that's his name." She admitted in a sad tone.

Chat looked at the ground for a few seconds, cletching his fists along his body for a moment, then he took a breath and lifted his gaze back at her. "Does he....Does he have a surname?..."

 _She was screwed. Why is he asking this? Well, obviously he wants to know now._ Ladybug sighed in defeat, knowing very well that denying or trying to go around it now wouldn't be right. After all that has happened between them today... She just couldn't bring herself not to tell him in this situation. And even if she didn't, she has already slipped with revealing Adrien's first name, it's not like Chat won't try to get the rest out of her later anyway...

"Um...yes... His name is.......*takes a deep breath*...His name is _Adrien Agreste_."

If someone told Ladybug that Chat's expression could be more frozen and in shock than just a few seconds ago, she wouldn't believe it. But here he was, looking as if he just saw a ghost.

"Chat, I am so, SO sorry! Really, I didn't mean it! It...it just slipped out!..." She blurted out.

Chat remained silent. It scared her. She couldn't tell what was going on inside of his head. He was just standing there, staring into nothing.

"Chat, please! Say something!" She blurted out again desperately, holding out her hand to place it onto Chat's shoulder. What happened next left her shocked. Just as she touched him, he jerked his shoulder and pulled away, making few steps back, reached for his baton and turned his head away.

"I....I just need to be alone now." He finally spoke. "I'm sorry...but I should just go." He then extended his baton and jumped away. Ladybug ran after him.

"Chat! Please! Come back! Don't leave!" She cried after him, but with no success.

How could she hurt him so badly? She didn't want to hurt him. He genuinely loves her... Ladybug felt her eyes tear up. How could she be so unscrupulous? How could she do that to him? She didn't know if what happened between them today was right or if she wanted it to happen, but right now she was the one to blame. She ruined everything. She hurt Chat's feelings. He won't forgive her. She wouldn't forgive herself...

Her knees loosened and she fell on the ground, looking at the spot she saw Chat for the last time. Eyes full of tears, she finally allowed herself to cry into her palms. She was sniffing there, in silence, alone _in the City of love_ , as the sun came down completely. 


	2. Relationships are hard

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette and Adrien think about the events of the evening on the Eiffel tower.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey again! So... here I bring you a second chapter! (This one is pure angst :') ...)  
> Ehm, anyway, thank you for the support and again, don't be shy to leave your feedback!  
> Enjoy!

Finally it was Friday. Marinette just came home from school, feeling totallly exhausted. She was really looking forward to the upcoming weekend. She really needed some rest, this week has been pretty tough for her. Especially the past 2 days. She just can't get Chat out of her head. She couldn't focus at school at all, cause she could only think about what happened _that one evening_. Of course Alya noticed Marinette's weird behaviour and asked her if something was wrong. Of course Marinette couldn't tell her the truth, so she just told her that she was tired. _Of. Course._ Marinette was tired of lying to her BFF so much. (Not to mention how hard it has been to come up with more and more new excuses whenever Ladybug needed to save Paris.) She really wanted to tell her what was wrong. How she hurt her best friend, her partner, who is probably not going to forgive her, because she broke his heart. How guilty and sad she felt for doing so... How she wanted to fix everything, but couldn't. At least not in the moment. But a secret identity... is a secret identity.

That evening, when Marinette was _finally_ able to be 'alone' in her room, she came in and slammed her schoolbag somewhere under her desk, falling face-first onto her chaise with a frustrated groan. A red kwami floated beside her with a concerned look.

"Aaarggghhh...What should I do, Tikki?..." She mumbled into her pillow.

"Marinette, I have already told you. You need to find Chat and talk to him." Tikki said.

"But how?...I can't contact him when he is not transformed!... Plus I have no idea where he could be! He probably hates me and doesn't even want to see me...I wouldn't blame him..." Marinette said quietly, yet angst could be heard in her voice.

"Mari, I am sure he doesn't hate you! Didn't you hear him? He confessed his love to you! He is probably sad and disappointed, that's why you have to talk to him about it, tell him how you _really_ feel about him."

Marinette turned around to lie on her back, holding her pillow close to her chest and stared up at the ceiling. "That's the problem. _I don't know_. I just... I never thought something like this could ever happen between me and Chat... I never saw him in that way... It was all so... _sudden_..."

Tikki flew closer to her and looked her in the eyes as she spoke. "Are you sure, Mari?"

Marinette blinked a few times at the question, sitting up. "Well...actually... I am not. Well...maybe...maybe I have kinda warmed up to him...and...I...uh..."

Tikki giggled. "You started to like him, didn't you?"

"What?! No! I-....ughhhh!" She groaned, while slamming her face into the pillow again. "Why is it so hard, Tikki? Why can't I just make up my mind?..."

Tikki flew over to sit on Marinette's head and started to pet her hair. " _Relationships are hard, Mari. You can make mistakes, but what matters is to learn from them and what you do in order to fix them_. And if you still aren't sure how you feel about him, then that is something only time can show. It's something you have to figure out on your own."

Marinette sighed heavily. "You are right Tikki...But I just...I feel so bad for what I did to him. I can't stop picturing his frozen and shocked face in my mind...and how he ran away... I don't even know _why_ I did it in the first place. I was with Chat at that moment, felt every part of him. My mind and body knew that it was Chat who was with me, so how could Adrien's name slip out of my mouth?.."

Tikki sighed. "Well...you probably subconciously wanted to imagine Adrien instead of Chat...that's why." The little god said gloomily.

"...It is true that I still love Adrien, so... Yeah, that's probably it. Oh poor Chat... None of it should have ever happened. _I shouldn't have let it happen_..." Marinette said in a sad tone.

"This is not going to fix anything Mari, you know that. Just go out on a patrol and try to look for him. You just need a little bit of your Ladybug luck." Tikki winked at her.

"Tikki I...I think I will just go to sleep. I don't think I am ready to face him yet anyway..." Marinette breathed.

"Sure, okay.... Get your rest, Mari..." Tikki answered with a warm smile.

"Yea...thank you Tikki. For everything. I don't know what I would do without you." Marinette smiled probably the first time that day. Tikki flew closer to hug her cheek.

"You know I am always here for you."

Marinette then finally changed into her pyjamas, turned the lights off in her room, settled under her bed covers and closed her eyes.

"Goodnight Tikki."

"Goodnight Marinette."

~~~

Marinette couldn't stop thinking about Chat's confession and what he had said earlier.

"... _if he is not head over heels with you by now, he is not going to and he is not worth it. He doesn't deserve you. Don't waste time waiting for something that might never happen, or you might never be happy_. "

He had a point, she had to admit. These 3 sentences were replaying inside of her head over and over. She could hear them as clearly as if Chat was saying them again for real. Maybe he was right... Maybe she should let Adrien go. Just...get finally over him and move on. Maybe it's for the best... He would probably turn her down anyway. She has never noticed any hint that he might possibly like her more than as a friend... Or at least that's what he had always called her. _An amazing friend_. Don't get her wrong, she is happy for the fact that Adrien treasures their friendship so much, but she has always wanted more. _Ever since that moment he gave her his umbrella in that rain years ago. That moment he proved hers first impression of him wrong, how he willingly went to befriend her, because he felt genuinely bad for what happened between them earlier that day. How he showed her that despite his good looks, he is a kind, selfless and gold-hearted person on the inside, causing her to fall in love_. But...maybe this is how it's supposed to be. Maybe she and Adrien are destined to be _just friends_...? Maybe if she continued to be like this, _waiting for something that might never happen_ , she might end up all alone with a hamster and unhappy, just as Chat said. _Oh, Chat_. She really needs to talk to him. To fix everything that has happened... But how? An apology? Would that be enough? She apologized to him right after what she did, but Chat didn't seem to take it. Well, _obviously_. She broke his heart. What was she expecting?...

She just.... _has to try_. And hope that things between them will be okay again. Now when she thought about it, she realized that she might have lost everything she had had with Chat. He might not trust her anymore, he might stop being a funny dork around her, he might even stop loving her... He could totally change. And that is what Marinette fears the most. That, by what she did, she lost _him_. What if they will fail to work as a team now? What if they won't be able to work together anymore because of it?...

No! That just can not happen. Marinette can't let that happen! She couldn't even begin to _imagine_ Chat not being by her side anymore... She values their friendship so much, this just could not ruin it!... She knows that if it did, it would be her fault. She wasn't sure how exactly she felt about Chat now, but all the more she shouldn't have let any of it happen. She just needed time to truly absorb everything and to figure things out. She couldn't help but to ask herself: _Could Tikki be right? Did I actually start to like Chat in that way?_... Her first thought was no. No and that's it. But... _was she really so certain about that...?_

Up until now, their relationship has been completely platonic, although she knew about Chat's feelings (he was certainly not afraid to show them) and some things had happened between them in the past that _weren't_ so platonic. For example, they have kissed before, but that was under different circumstances, never like _this_. By kissing him back and letting him be so close to her that evening, she gave him an idea that she might feel the same. It was not fair towards him, she should have been able to control herself. She was still confused why did she get so caught up in the moment, unable to stop him or herself. She couldn't really remember how exactly she'd felt, just that his confession really touched her, probably causing her not to think straight. And now he was hurt because of her...

But maybe she is just overthinking everything. Chat knows she loves someone else...and he told her that he is not going to leave her. _No matter what_. She has to hope that it'll be okay. That Chat's also organized his thoughts in the past 2 days they didn't see each other and will be opened to talk with her...

So she got ready to go out on a patrol. Hopefully he will be out too, so she could contact and find him. Apologize to him again and...and tell him how much he really means to her. Cause...she just realized _how much_.

_~ Throw-back ~_

Chat ran across the rooftops, ignoring Ladybug's calls and cries. He just couldn't stay. He _had_ to run away...

As he was running, not looking back, a tear rolled down his left cheek. With clenched teeth he wiped it quickly away with his left wrist. _He refused to cry_. At least as Chat Noir. People know him as a hero who isn't afraid of anything, someone who is always above things and doesn't let anything negative get to him. He knew subconsciously that no one could probably see him now, but he still refused to show his weak side, apparently even to himself. 

He didn't know how to feel. He felt _broken_. Like he was going to shatter into million pieces, just like a fragile piece of glass. As if all the light was suddenly replaced with only darkness, in which he has been hopelessly lost without a chance to escape. He felt an unpleasant tightening feeling inside of his chest that just didn't cease or go away, no matter how hard he tried or wanted it to. It was like it made it hard for him to breathe, or to focus on anything else. He couldn't think straight. All he knew was that he had to get home. He extended his staff, jumping from one roof to another. And another. And another... After a few minutes, he finally jumped through a window into his room.

"Claws in."

Just as he landed on the floor with one hand raised backwards and clenched into a fist, his transformation wore off with a flash of green light. A little black cat kwami flew out of his ring, which turned from black to silver, landing on Adrien's bed with an exhausted sigh. Without saying a word, Chat Noir, who was now Adrien, sat down on the edge of his bed. He straddled his legs, placing his elbows on the tops of his knees. Frustrated, he slipped his palms into his blond hair. He held his scalp so strongly that knuckles of his fingers turned white. He clenched his teeth again, shut his eyes tightly and began to sob.

 _What just happened? Why?_...

He still could not process it. At first, it was like a dream come true. Ladybug kissed him and seemed like she was _finally_ showing him affection. He felt like it was the most beautiful moment in his life. The time he held her close, when he could feel all of her. How she moaned when he kissed her neck, or when he moved his hips. How her hot soft skin felt on his lips. How he got so turned on by her. And she was too... _he could feel it_. Why did she moan the name _'Adrien'?_

Well, now he knew it was _him_. He was the guy Ladybug has been talking about all this time. It's just so crazy! All this time, he was getting rejected by her because of himself! How freaking bizarre is that?! He couldn't believe it. How was that even possible?! He has to know Ladybug as a civilian! She is someone who's been behind him all this time and he didn't even notice! How could he be so fucking blind?! How could he not recognise her?! He was sure he would recognise her amazingness, kindness, cleverness and braveness. But he didn't!...

Well, the truth was, that Ladybug told him once that she is very different as a civilian. Maybe she really is different. When she said it, Adrien didn't believe it. He was SURE that he would know immediately who was the love of his life the moment he saw her. Well, _turns out that maybe he doesn't know her as much as he thought_. _Who is she?_ He _has_ to know.

"Hey kid...you okay?" Plagg asked his holder, who seemed really down at the moment.

"What do you think?! No, I am _not_ okay!" Adrien snapped, making Plagg back a little.

"Could you cool down your cat nerves? I know that what happened wasn't ideal at all, but you don't have to be so rude to me, I'm just trying to help, you know." Plagg said. " _Also_ don't forget that an akuma could appear if you don't get ahold of your negative emotions!"

Adrien lifted his gaze from the floor to his kwami, who was now floating in front of him. "*heavy sigh* I know, sorry. I just-... I can't do this Plagg. Why couldn't it just be any other guy I have never heard of? Why _me?_ How can I be the one she has been in love with this whole time?! How the fuck am I supposed to feel?! Happy that she has actually loved me this whole time, or frustrated cause she only loves the _fake_ me and not the _real_ me and I can't tell her anything? If she doesn't love Chat, she doesn't love Adrien either. She is just probably in love with the perfect idea of me, just like most of my fangirls..." Adrien spoke, completely frustrated. "Plagg, I... _I need to know who she is_..."

Silence spreaded across Adrien's room. It was already dark outside, the only thing that could be heard was the night breeze.

Plagg finally sighed. "Kid look, I can understand how you probably feel now, but I can't tell you that. Even though I really want to. But I can't, Tikki would kill me."

Adrien gave him a frustrated look. "Whatever. I know for sure I must know her personally... Or...maybe she is just one of my crazy fangirls...? Argh, damn it! She could be practically anyone!" He ran his hand through his hair again.

"I think you should just get your beauty sleep, pretty boy. Besides, I am sure I'm not the only one in this room who feels tired and exhausted. It would be nice of you to actually give me some camembert for holding your transformation for so long." Plagg yawned, then stretched.

Adrien rolled his eyes in response. "Fine." He said, while taking out a slice of camembert from the pocket of his white shirt. Plagg's eyes brightened at the sight.

"Now that's what I'm talking about!" He said enthusiastically, taking his camembert out of Adrien's hand and swallowing it whole in one go.

"You are gross." Adrien said, as he held his nose with his fingers because of the smell.

"Thanks." 

Adrien gave him a snort. He _really_ had enough for today. "I think I will go take a shower..."

"Do whatever you want. I am going to sleep." Plagg breathed and made himself comfortable on Adrien's pillow.

"G'night then." Adrien said, as he walked towards his huge bathroom.

"Goodnight."

That was the last thing Adrien heard from Plagg before he closed the door behind him. He felt like he really needed that shower... Since it was getting late, he wasn't planning on showering for too long. He was also really tired, not just because of all that has happened, but also because his schedule had been pretty full and tiring past few days. He really needed that rest.

He undressed and turned on the shower. After a few seconds of waiting for the water to get warm enough, he stepped inside. He let the water to run down his back, as he leaned against the wall with his hands, dropping his head down.

"*sigh*... _I am the one who doesn't deserve her. I am the one who's never noticed her, the one who is not worth it_..."

Adrien realized just how ironic it was. _He said those words himself_. And now he is the guy they were meant to be directed at. He felt horrible...

"I am the reason why she felt bad and helpless..." He sighed again, after he placed his forehead against the wall. Whoever she was, _he loved her_. And he just couldn't stand the thought of him being the cause of her torment. Who knows how many nights she had cried because of his unrequited affection. _She has been like this for at least 3 years_. Meanwhile he was struggling because of hers unrequited love just as long. But again...he didn't know who she was. She could even be a girl he has never really talked to... But then why would she tell him that she's afraid of losing him forever?...

The worst thing is that now, when he knows all of this, Ladybug doesn't. She doesn't know that Chat is Adrien. And he can't tell her anything. He can't tell her that he is the guy she has been in love with all along. _Or...can he?_.. No. Ladybug doesn't want to learn his identity, not yet. She always says it's for the best. And even though it'll be hard, he is going to respect her...

Adrien finally finished the shower. He turned off the water, got out, dried himself with his white towel and then wraped it around the lower part of his body. He brushed his teeth and went back to his room, letting out a yawn. It was already 22:30. He put on his boxer shorts and settled under his bed covers, finally relaxing. Plagg was already asleep.

"Oh come on. You are not going to snore now, are you?..." Adrien complained more like to himself. Obviously Plagg couldn't hear him...

After long 5 minutes of staring into nothing, Adrien finally closed his eyes, knowing well that today's sleep will probably be worth nothing.


	3. As before...?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The patrol doesn't exactly go as Ladybug thought it would.

"Tikki, spots on!"

The pink light surrounded Marinette and transformed her into Ladybug in a split of a second.

"*sigh*...Hopefully Chat will be out too...." Said Ladybug to herself, as she swung herself off of her balcony with her yoyo, careful so no one would see her. She ran and jumped over the rooftops, till she was on hers and Chat's usual meeting spot for evening patrols - the top of The Grand Palais. It was 20:30, their usual meeting time. Ladybug looked around to see if Chat was there. She gave a disappointed sigh as she saw that she was alone. She grabbed her yoyo and tried to call him - no response. The tracking system also didn't show his position on her map, which meant he wasn't even transformed at the moment.

 _I will wait for a while... Hopefully Chat will show up..._ She thought and sat down on the roof edge, watching the happenings below her. People noticed her of course, but no one caused a scene. A few just pointed in her direction or took a photo, but that was it. Citizens were long used to seeing their superheroes casually just sit on the roofs of parisian buildings, especially at this hour. It became normal to them in a way. And Ladybug was grateful for that, particularly right now. She just wasn't really in a mood to deal with fans... She also knows that if Chat won't show up, she will still have to do the patrol. Alone, but yes. She is still a superheroine with a responsibility. And even without her partner, she has to protect Paris if an akuma shows up...

"...If only I could turn back time..." Ladybug sighed, resting her chin on her palm. She really wants to make things between her and Chat alright again. But....she is also _afraid_. She is afraid to face Chat after what happened. They have never been in a situation like this before. _It was something completely new to her, but not in a good way_. She has no idea how he will act, if he is going to be even _opened_ to talk. What if he doesn't even want to see her?...

She can only hope that it'll work out somehow in the end. Chat was never that type of a guy. He was never offended by anything, took everything with exaggeration. But... _this was something else_... This was a heartbreak...and this time a real one. She rejected him a tons of times in the past...and he always got over it. But he never gave up. That evening, he truly confessed his love to her like he has never done before. It was so...sincere and... from the heart. And then...she ruined everything by _that one moan_. Obviously at that moment he knew that she was thinking about a different guy. When she was supposed to think about _him_. He must have felt horrible...

It has been 15 minutes and Chat was still not around. That could only mean 2 things - he must have forgotten (which is unlikely)/couldn't come on their usual patrol, or - _he just doesn't want to come_... Ladybug honestly hoped for the first option. They didn't see each other in 3 whole days already. The thought of Chat trying to avoid her made her feel... _anxious_. She tried not to think about that. She didn't understand how she could even _imagine_ something like that. That wasn't like him! Or... _maybe she just doesn't know him as much as she thought_...

After a few more minutes of waiting, Ladybug gave up. She finally accepted the fact that Chat wasn't going to come, whatever the reason was. She looked around for the last time, before she went on a patrol herself. She had to check if everything was fine before she could go home... She was praying to god for no akumas, she really didn't want to face one now...when she was in such a dejected mood and alone, without her partner.

She ran across the rooftops in the cold night. Paris was truly a beautiful city...it was proved to her every day and night. It definetely deserved the nickname _City of lights and fashion_. And as Ladybug, she had the privelege to experience the glory from a whole different view. Being a superheroine really had it's perks... She let herself get lost in that beauty as she swung herself with her yoyo, but then, as if on purpose, it started to rain.

 _Great. Just when I think that things can't get any worse..._ She thought to herself. At least the city seemed calm and as usual, which was a relief... When suddenly, she heard a scream. It was a woman. 

_"Somebody, help!"_

Ladybug's heart skipped a beat. She looked towards the source of the scream. In an alley, there was a woman ambushed by a man - probably a thief. He was furiously trying to steal her handbag and was armed with a knife! Ladybug didn't hesitate. Just before she jumped down to help the poor woman, she decided to quickly send Chat a message. It said: 'I need you at the Impasse de Valmy'. Altough she knew she will probably have to deal with the thief alone, she still sent it in a hope that something just delayed him and that's why he didn't show up earlier. Maybe that really was the case and he was now somewhere out there... _She hoped_.

She then jumped towards the two individuals. It was not an akuma, but that man was still dangerous and that woman needed her help. She is a superheroine, it's her duty to protect people of Paris, even if it means she will have to face a criminal. She has already encountered with some in the past, so why should this be any different?...

Just as she landed near them, the man immediately noticed her and after snatching the handbag from her hands, he let go of the woman, who screamed and fell on the ground. Ladybug reached out her hand to help her stand up.

"Are you okay? Come on, you can't stay here! Run and call the police! Quick!" Ladybug shouted the last part.

The woman was still in shock and scared, but nodded and ran away. Ladybug turned to the man as he shouted.

"What do you think you're doing?! Do not touch me or I'll show you!!"

She took a fighting position, focusing her gaze at him. "I am helping an innocent woman from a bastard that just robbed her!" She shouted in response.

The man clenched his teeth in anger, gave Ladybug an agressive look and shoved the stolen handbag into his own small backpack. "Well, then try me you Ladybitch!" He lunged towards her with his knife in his right hand. Ladybug's eyes widened at his speed, but eventually she jumped over him, spinning her yoyo in her hand.

"Do you really think you can beat me? Just give it back! No one has to get hurt!" She exclaimed.

"As if!" He went after her again with a loud growl. This time she acted fast. She threw her yoyo after his legs in an attempt to tie him up. But he jumped out of the way at the last second. _She missed!_ She didn't have time to pull the string of her yoyo back and try again, he was already too close. So she jumped over him again, whereas his knife missed her narrowly. But as she landed on the wet ground, her feet slipped and she fell, putting herself in a disadvantageous position immediately.

_What? How? She wasn't clumsy Marinette now! How the hell could she fall?!_

Her eyes snapped open as she heard the splashing of the water on the ground getting louder by each step because of the approaching criminal. Panic overtook her for a moment. She froze. _She wasn't immortal_. _He could still hurt her_. She knew she had to protect the upper part of her neck - that was the only unprotected place on her body that, if it got injured, could cause her a big harm. She snapped out of her daze, pulled her yoyo to her as fast as she could and tried to jump up again, but it was already too late. _That's when she realized her fatal mistake_. The man jumped on her, pinning her to the ground with all his strength, causing her to scream. Before she knew it, the back of her head hit the ground with a thud. He put the knife close to her neck and held her strongly and harshly in place.

"Seems like you're not that strong after all, huh?! Bet that I know how to make you shut that stupid mouth of yours!" The man hissed.

She could've kicked him in the guts or something, _she could have_. But for some reason, her mind went blank in that second. She let the fear get the better of her, as she felt the blade touch her exposed skin. Just when things seemed to be getting out of Ladybug's control, a familiar male voice shouted from above.

"DON'T TOUCH HER YOU SON OF A BITCH OR I SWEAR I AM GOING TO END YOU!!"

Right after that, a black figure landed right in front of them. The man was so taken aback that he didn't manage to do anything. In a split of a second, he got strongly punched by a.... _staff?_ Ladybug thought. _Of course, it's Chat! He came!_

The man hit the ground, unconscious, dropping his knife. A tall figure in front of her offered his hand to her.

"You okay?" He asked, sounding very worried. She finally looked up at him.

"Y-yeah...thanks..." She responded as she took his hand and stood up. "We should probably call an ambulance. Police should be there any minute..." Ladybug said, her voice still a little shaky.

"I am on it. Do you need to sit down..?" Chat asked, while putting his weapon into a phone mode.

"No, no. I am fine, really. We need to take care of this guy right here first..."

"Alright....Uh hello? Chat Noir here. We need an ambulance at the Impasse de Valmy, The 7th arrondissement of Paris. Yes. We have an unconscious man here, probably in his fourties. I had to take him down for the safety of others, he was armed with a knife. Yes. The police is already on their way..." Chat spoke into his staff. Just after he hung up, the police arrived. The ambulance arrived in the next couple of minutes.

Chat Noir and Ladybug left the scene soon after. They were no longer needed. The police officers just asked them a few questions and Ladybug was asked to provide a testimony to the police sometime in the next couple of days. She agreed of course. They were also informed about the fact that the man had a varied criminal past and was being hounted by the police for quite some time now. Before they left, the officers and the woman, who was now okay, thanked them for their help and their assistance with his arrestion. After that, both superheroes disappeared in the darkness of the night. As they ran across the roofs, Ladybug couldn't take her eyes off of Chat, who was running in front of her.

 _This wasn't supposed to happen like this_. This was probably the worst possible way how tonight's patrol could have gone... _Well...almost. It could always be worse._ Ladybug thought.

After a while, she noticed that Chat was slowing down, so she slowed down too. He turned his head to look at her. "Ladybug, uh....could we talk?" Chat asked, both of them stopping.

Ladybug was surprised. _He wants to talk!_ ...At that moment, she felt kinda reliefed. But...nothing was certain yet.

"Um...yeah, sure...But uh...let's go somewhere else..." She said.

"The Eiffel tower..?" Chat suggested. Ladybug nodded with a weak smile on her lips.

And so both of them started running again, using their weapons to move easier and faster. A lot of thoughts were going through Ladybug's mind. She started being a bit nervous, she didn't really know what to expect or what to say... _Just...let your heart speak for you._ She told herself. It didn't take long for them to reach their destination.

Now they were both standing on the Eiffel tower. _Once again_. Suddenly, all the memories came back into Ladybug's head. What was she going to say? What was Chat going to say?... She bit her lower lip and looked at the ground. Chat turned to her, looking down at her. Well this... _this was awkward_. When Ladybug glanced up at Chat for a second, he quickly flicked with his eyes somewhere else, then raised his fist up to his mouth and cleared his throat.

"So...Ladybug, what happened back there..? Why didn't you try to contact me? You could have gotten seriously hurt!" Chat said seriously.

Ladybug gave him a confused look. "Wait... But I...I texted you through my bugphone! Look!" She said and showed him the message.

Chat leaned down next to her to inspect the text in her yoyo properly with one brow raised. Then he took his staff and checked his message box. "What the... See? It's empty! But how..?" He said, confused.

"Well, seems like one of our two weapons doesn't work properly... I will have to ask Tikki about that later..." Ladybug breathed. Chat gave a snort.

"That's really weird..." He murmed and frowned, pensive, crossing his arms and leaning back onto a beam.

"Indeed..." She sighed, looking away.

After a few seconds of an awkward silence, Chat fixed his gaze at her once again, letting out a breath. "Well, now the most important thing is that you're okay... Fortunately I was there in time. I don't think I could keep my cool if that bastard did something to you... And I would never forgive myself if he did." He spoke. "I am sorry that I didn't show to our usual meeting spot... I had some...personal stuff to do." Chat sighed, remembering his today's evening unexpected photoshoot.

"That's okay, I understand... You just made me think that you didn't want to patrol with me anymore..." Ladybug held her left forearm in her right hand, looking at the ground with a sad expression spreaded across her face.

"Why do you say that...?" Chat asked, concerned.

"I....I...-" She couldn't finish the sentence because of the tears forming in her eyes. This has been so much pressure... All that tension, it was just too much.

Chat immediately realized that she was about to cry. He stepped closer with a worried look and opened his mouth as if to say something, but it never came out, because Ladybug overtook him.

"Ch-Chat I am so, SO, SO SORRY for what happened 3 days ago. I- I know you w-won't forgive me. I hurt you so badly and I- I am such a horrible person for what I have d-done to you. You- you are my b-best friend Chat and I regret it so much...I-.." Ladybug started to cry. She just couldn't take it anymore... She just wanted to hug him and hold him close, cry into his shoulder and never let go. She messed up so badly...

Chat didn't expect it when she fell into his arms, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and pulling him into an embrace.

"I- I am so sorry..." She cried.

Chat's expression changed from the surprised one to the devastated one. He didn't know what to say. So he just hugged her back tightly, burying a part of his face in her hair. He wanted to tell her that it was okay, that all this time, he has been the same guy. But he couldn't. Not yet...

"Hey...shhh...please don't cry, M'lady. I am the one who is sorry. I shouldn't have left you like I did..." Chat said quietly while hugging her.

"N-NO! It's my fault. It's understandable t-that you ran away.... You have _n-nothing_ to apologize for!" Ladybug sobbed into Chat's left shoulder, who felt her tremble in his arms. He wanted to tell her so badly...

"Ladybug, it's okay, really. I know that things like this sometimes just happen on their own... And I have already forgiven you. You know I could never be mad at you, Bugaboo." Chat released the hug so he could look her in the eyes with his hands on her shoulders. She looked up at him, eyes red from all the crying. She watched a soothing smile appear on his face, and so she finally gave him a weak smile in return as she sniffed. But then she saw it. Even though he smiled, he still had pain in his eyes. She saw through him. He was still obviously hurt... But still tried to comfort her.

 _He must really love me, huh...?_ Ladybug felt bad again.

"But...I- ...I broke your heart Chat, probably in the worst way possible... You were so honest with me...and I just..." She said in a really sad tone, looking down again. Chat sighed heavily and looked away.

"It doesn't matter anymore. It's not like we can change the past. I know you love that Adrien guy... And I understand. I should have never kissed you and take things that far in the first place... I am sorry..." Chat said, also feeling down because of the situation.

Suddenly, he turned and walked towards the edge. Ladybug watched him go, still sobbing a little with her mouth slightly ajar. Chat sat down, his ears dropping. Hunched, he placed his elbows on his knees, his gaze falling at the city below. Ladybug watched him sit there for a second, then she decided to join him. She released a breath she didn't even realize she was holding and slowly walked towards Chat.

"Actually...I have been thinking a lot about what you said that evening...." Ladybug admitted in a low voice, sitting next to him. Chat glanced at her. "That he might not be worth it, cause he never really noticed me. That I have been spending time waiting for something that probably won't happen. He always saw me only _as a friend_. Nothing more... I actually think that maybe...it is time for me to finally get over him. I don't think I would ever have a chance with him anyway... He is a model and I am just a plain, normal girl under the mask..." She spoke.

Chat observed her the whole time. He shook his head slightly with a smile and closed eyes. "Nonsense. I am sure you are not... You don't need fame or _purrhaps_ wealth in order to be amazing and likeable, trust me. And... If you are planning to get over him, that is your decision. But don't let me influence you. If you _really_ love him, then you should try to tell him... I will support you..." He smiled at her weakly.

Ladybug was surprised to hear that. He was going to support her in such a thing? Even if it meant that he would no longer have a chance with her? _He is willing to give me up, just that I could be happy._ _That_ , is true love. _Being able to sacrifise your own feelings for another one's happiness..._ Ladybug thought. She wasn't sure how to respond. And....she wasn't sure about Adrien at this point either. She has been hoping for years that Adrien would notice her. She felt heartbroken because of his unrequited love a lot of times in the past... But...right here and now, Chat, her partner, the person who she trusts the most, is right next to her and _he truly loves her_...

Ladybug looked at Chat with an honest smile. "Chat, I really appreciate your support. It means a lot to me... But I think I need some more time to think about what I am gonna do..." She said calmly.

"Yeah, sure... And it's only natural to support someone I care about." He winked at her.

Finally, the atmosphere between them seemed to be lightened. This was something Chat would usually do and say.

"*sigh*...Thank you Chat. For everything. I want you to know, that... _you mean a lot to me_. I...I was afraid of losing you. A-And I realized...that _no one could ever replace you_. _You are the best partner I could have ever hoped for_... Even with all your silly jokes and terrible cat puns..." Ladybug giggled towards the end. She looked at Chat, who was now blushing a little under his black mask. The blush disappeared as fast as it has appeared on his cheeks.

"Hey! My jokes and puns are just as _pawsome_ as they're _purrfect!_ " Chat blurted out with a chuckle, shoving into her slightly with his shoulder. Ladybug laughed.

"See? That's exactly what I am talking about!"

"You love it." Chat said with a smirk.

"Okay, I admit that I kind of missed it. But that doesn't mean I want to hear it in every sentence, you silly Tomcat." They both laughed again. It felt great...

"Okay, but now seriously." Chat cleared his throat. "I...I don't really know what to say ...I am glad that you think of me that way..." He said, rubbing the back of his neck, not really sure how to continue.

"That's okay, you don't have to say anything else. I just wanted to tell you..." She smiled at him, then stood up. "Come on, I think we should get going. It's already 0:15 am."

Chat raised next to her. "Wow, guess we really did kill the time." He said, grabbing his baton into his right hand.

"Chat...?"

He looked back at her. "Mhm?"

"Just one last question... Are things between us...alright again...?" Ladybug asked, sounding uncertain.

"You mean..." He breathed as wind blowed through his blond strands of hair.

"Like... _as before_..." Ladybug continued, her voice suddenly trailing off, looking at the ground as the wind played with her pigtails.

"...As before _that evening_ , right..?" Chat completed the sentence for her.

"...Yeah..." She answered in a low voice, flustered because of the remembrance. Her cheeks turned pink, she couldn't look him in the eyes all of sudden. Both were silent for a few seconds, a bit of a tension could be felt in the air once again.

"Well...yeah, of course. Tho I can't say I will be able to ignore such a memory..."

Their gazes clashed once again. "Me neither... Let's just try not to think about it anymore." Ladybug sighed. Chat silently nodded.

"Shall we go then?" She asked.

"After you, M'lady."

And that's when our 2 superheroes jumped away, saying their last goodbye before each of them headed towards their home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! ~


	4. Only one of us

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! So before you start reading, I would like to warn you that this chapter contains gore, a 'death' and the first half of it is overall angsty. I don't wanna spoil anything, just wanted to let you know about this. And yes, I know that this fanfic is tagged as "fluffy", but don't worry, we'll get to that part in the future chapters. So stay tuned for more! ~  
> But now, *cough cough* enjoy-

_Where am I...?_ That was the first thing that went through Marinette's head. She looked around, searching for anything that could answer her question. She couldn't see anything. It was an opened place, dark and foggy. With no surroundings. It was also really cold... She shivered.

"H-Hello..? Is anyone here...?" She breathed, fear could be heard in her voice. She didn't know what was happening. _Where was she and why..?_

Then she noticed, that she was actually transformed. She grabbed her yoyo and wanted to look at the location she was in, but...it didn't work. She could only see a black screen. And then she heard it...a male voice screamed her name.

_"Ladybug! Help me!"_

She immediately recognised the voice... It was _Adrien!_ She didn't waste a second. She ran towards the source of his screaming. Her heart started pounding like crazy, like it was about to burst out of her chest. It was hard to breathe... Her Adrien was in danger! What happened?!... She had to find him fast!... Out of sudden, a dark figure appeared in front of her.

"Adrien...?" She breathed out uncertainly. What was he doing here...? Why was he standing there like that...? Why did he scream...? She didn't get the answers. She slowly walked towards the figure, examining him with her brows knitted together. This was... _weird_. He wasn't moving and she couldn't see his face. It looked more like a shadow than an actual person. It really started to scare her. Abruptly she didn't see only one figure... Emerging out of nowhere, there was another one.

"Adrien..? Is that you?..." She asked again in a startled tone, not daring to move any closer.

"It is, Marinette." The figure standing to the left said. Just after he said it, she could see him clearly... He had a plain expression on his face, but still looked exactly as she remembered him. And then it hit her like a freight train. _How does he know my identity?!_

"H-how do you...?" Her eyes held panic in them, her heartbeat increasing.

"Marinette, do you love me...?" He suddenly asked, practically sounding emotionless.

"W-what?...I..." She didn't know what to say at that moment. _Why is he asking that? What is going on?_ She thought. With fear in her eyes she then finally glanced towards the second figure, who was standing to the right. She noticed that both figures were the same height, but the one to the right had a bit messier hair and something on his head... Something like... _cat ears_... _?_

"Ladybug, do you love me...?"

Now she saw clearly both of them. Adrien and Chat Noir, standing right next to each other, asking her the same question.

"Ch-Chat...?" She managed to breathe out.

"Who do you love? Me or him?" Chat's figure asked in the same monotone tone. "You can only choose one of us." Adrien's figure added.

"I- I...no! I don't want to choose! You are both important to me! Don't make me do that!" She cried out.

"You have to decide." Adrien continued.

"Who do you want more...?" Chat asked her again in a low voice, his green eyes glowing in the dark. The way he said it was almost... _seductive_.

"I...I can't!" She cried, placing her palms against her face in despair.

"Yes, you can." Adrien said coldly. "We know you only love one of us." Chat spoke.

"No, it's not like that!"

Both of the figures started walking slowly towards her, side by side. She started to back.

"Then why did you moan the name _'Adrien'?_ Why did you think about _him_ and not _me_...?"

Ladybug hit a wall. _There was a wall behind her!_

"Say, Ladybug. Why don't you love me...?" Chat asked huskily as he approached her. His figure was now crouching over her, staring deep into her eyes with anticipation, while he was leaning himself against the wall with his one hand right next to her head. The closeness reminded her of that one moment on the Eiffel tower. She felt her throat tightening, as she felt more and more jittery and vulnerable by each passing second.

"Ch-Chat, what are you doing?... Let me go!" She cried out when she realized she couldn't move. _He had her trapped. Literally._

"Answer me." He said, his voice low, yet insistent and demanding. It made her breath hitch. She wasn't used to seeing her partner like this. To seeing _Chat_ like this.

"Chat, it was an accident! I didn't mean to! And I..." She could not finish the sentence. Because she honestly didn't know the answer. She loves him as her best friend, but not romantically, _right?_... _Why though...?_ Because she loves _Adrien_ that way, _right?_

"Do you want me...?" Chat asked in a lustful tone out of nowhere. He took her chin with his fingers and lifted her head a little, so that she could face him directly, his eyes shining with want. He was now _really_ close to her...their noses were almost brushing against each other and so their chests. But she didn't feel comfortable with the situation. _She just wanted to get away_...

"Chat, please, let me go!" Ladybug cried with closed eyes, hopelessly grabbing Chat's forearm in an attempt to push him away. She was at a disadvantage, and she was aware of that. She knew he could easily overpower her with his male strength in this position if he wanted.

Suddenly she felt nothing in her grip. When she opened her eyes, Chat wasn't there anymore. Not even Adrien. It was like they just vanished without a trace. Ladybug's knees were shaking. _What was that about? Where did they go?..._ She thought to herself. She looked around her hesitantly. Everything was the same as it was before, except...one thing. She looked at the ground and saw it. _There were blood drops_. They led into the gloom in front of her. After a few moments of just standing there, she decided to follow the path... Her heart was pounding fast against her chest again and a weird tightening feeling in her stomach wasn't helping either. Whose blood was that...? Why did it lead from the same spot she saw Chat for the last time? _What if...?_

The blood drops started getting bigger by each faltering step she made. Suddenly she heard a low and painful sobbing nearby. _Her heart stopped_.

She looked up with a horrified face. The image she saw in front of her was the worst one she could ever imagine. There was Chat, lying helplessly on the ground in the puddle of his own blood, shaking slightly from the pain. His eyes were tightly closed, his fists clenched along his motionless body, tears were falling down his now blood-smeared cheeks, as he hissed through his clenched teeth because of the pain. He was lying there like some discarded toy, his once black suit dirty from deep red. _It was terrible_.

Ladybug gave a horrified gasp. "CHAT!" She screamed and ran towards him. _Why is he like this? Who did that to him?_

"NO, NO, NO, NO, NO! CHAT! PLEASE, LOOK AT ME!" Ladybug sat down beside his lying form, taking his head into her shaking hands and placing it carefully onto her lap. She began to cry at the sight of her partner in such a state. How can she help him? What is she supposed to do?... With heavy heart her watery eyes examined his injuries. That's when she noticed where all the blood and pain was coming from. It was Chat's left side of his chest. _His heart_.

"Ch-Chat!.. N-no! Don't you dare! Please...Y-You can't die! Do you hear me?!" She cried, as she gripped his both shoulders and shook him a few times, coaxing him to look up at her. His once bright green eyes were now glossy and dazed, almost as if someone drained the life out of them.

"My lady..." He hoarsed sorely before coughing, forcing a weak smile on his lips.

"Y-yes, I am here now..." Ladybug felt more tears streaming down her cheeks, while her hand gently slided along the right side of his face. She could feel him getting weaker under her touch, his each breath becoming short and onerous. With horror she watched his eyes close slowly.

_No...No. H-he...can't. He can't die. He just can't. He has to be fine. H-he has to... Please..._

"No... Don't leave me! I...I can't do this without you! Y-you'll be okay!... T-there has to be something I can do. Please just...s-stay with me..." She managed to breathe out between her sobs, ran her fingers through his blond hair and stroked his forehead. Using all his remaining strength, Chat looked her in the eyes, lifting his shaky hand and putting it on her cheek. Ladybug brought her own hand up and placed it onto his.

_"I-I am sorry, M'lady..."_

After that, Ladybug's world crushed here and there, as his hand lowered and Chat breathed out for the last time. Her breath hitched, while she cried and held his already lifeless body close to her. _This is my fault. I did this to him._ She realized.

"Ch-Chat?...CHAT! NOOOO!" She screamed into the darkness, the beeping of Chat Noir's Miraculous being the only other sound filling the space around her...

"NOOOO!" Marinette quickly sat up on her bed. She held her blanket close to her, as she breathed heavily, sweat coming down her face. She placed her hand over her mouth, while tears started to form in her eyes.

"Marinette! Are you okay?" Tikki asked, really worried about her holder. Marinette glanced at her kwami with watery eyes.

"Tikki I- I just had the worst nightmare! And- and it looked so real!" She blurted out.

"Shhhh. It's okay now. None of it was real. It was just a bad dream." Tikki tried to calm her.

"Ch-Chat...h-he..." She couldn't finish it. Tikki hugged her cheek.

"Mari, whatever happened in your dream wasn't real. Chat is okay, do not worry."

"I...I wish I could see him...Tikki...he...he died in my arms!"

Tikki looked at her with sad eyes. "That's terrible..." She sighed.

"I don't understand _why_ I had such a dream!" Tears continued rolling down Marinette's cheeks.

"Probably because you were really afraid of losing him somehow..." Tikki said.

"But this...this was different. Adrien was also in the dream. They both asked me if I love them and told me I had to choose. I couldn't do that... Then Chat was really close to me at one moment, but I just wanted to get away... And then I found him bleeding out of his heart... That was how he died..." Marinette spoke, devastated, her voice shaky.

"Oh my... Mari, you should try not to think about it anymore. Just try to fall asleep and if you are scared, then try to remember all the nice and funny moments you have had with Chat."

Marinette gave a sigh. She finally managed to calm down after Tikki's words. "Okay...I will try. Thanks, Tikki."

"No worries. Sweet dreams, Mari."

Marinette smiled weakly at her kwami. "Sweet dreams, Tikki."

~~~

Chat Noir finally arrived to his room. It was now really late and all he wanted to do was sleep.

"Claws in."

He fell face-first onto his bed, as green light surrounded him and he became Adrien again. He sighed into his pillow, then turned around to lie on his back and stared up at the ceiling.

"Well, that wasn't a Saturday I expected." A black cat kwami said and landed on the bed next to him.

"Yeah..." Adrien breathed, lost in thoughts, his brows knitted together.

"What are you gonna do? Are you just going to go back to how it was before? Or nothing?" Plagg asked.

"I don't know. I am just glad that she's okay. I don't even want to imagine what could have happened to her if I didn't show up in time..." Adrien continued to stare upwards. "That's another thing... Why didn't I recieve her text?!" He sat up and looked at Plagg with a death stare.

"Ahahaha... I have no idea! You sure you didn't?" Plagg laughed nervously.

"Yes, I am certain. There was nothing in my message box, even though she clearly sent it! I saw it with my own eyes!... That means the problem is with _my_ weapon! Do you know something about that, hm?" Adrien responded, a bit of an anger could be heard in his voice. Plagg laughed nervously again.

"Uh...no, you don't think it's my fault, do you?" He asked.

"Well, you are my kwami and you transform me into Chat Noir, so... _DUH_...? Adrien said with a frowned face.

"Kid look, I really don't know why you didn't recieve that message. Maybe my powers were somehow weakened at the moment...?"

"Oh yeah? And how?" Adrien was starting to lose his patience.

"Uh...I dunno, maybe lack of camembert...?" Plagg gave a nervous grin.

"Plagg!" Adrien shouted at him. Plagg backed a little.

"Hey, don't shout at me-" He didn't finish what he was about to say, because the door of Adrien's room started opening. Adrien gasped, draping his blanket quickly over Plagg in an attempt to hide him.

"Adrien, is everything okay? I heard shouting." Nathalie asked.

"Oh? Yeah, I am totally fine, don't worry... I was just looking at something on my phone and it was really loud, so..." Adrien nervously rubbed the back of his neck. Nathalie raised her brow, examining him for a few seconds.

"Alright then. By the way, your father wants you to know that he will be leaving on Monday. He has an important meeting in Marseille and will be gone for 3 days." Nathalie spoke.

"Oh...okay... So he won't be coming to my fencing competition on Wednesday, huh?" Adrien asked, a bit disappointed. _Of course he won't be there. As always._ He thought to himself.

"Unfortunately, no. But I will come with you." Nathalie tried to give him a soothing smile. Adrien looked up at her.

"Thanks, Nathalie..."

Nathalie glanced at her watches and lifted her glasses. "It's really late Adrien, you should go to sleep. Don't forget that you have to get up early tomorrow..." She said and started to exit Adrien's room. "Goodnight."

"Yeah, right. G'night..." Adrien sighed. The door then finally closed. Plagg rushed out from under the blanket with a huge inhale.

"BAAAH... I almost suffocated there!" He blurted out.

"You are lucky I didn't choke you instead." Adrien said warningly.

"Fine, I am sorry! It was my fault. I might have kind of turned off your message system. It won't happen again. Happy?" Plagg said, crossing his arms, ehm, _paws_ , looking away with a huff.

"There, it wasn't that hard, was it? Now, why did you turn it off?" Adrien asked with one brow raised, impatiently waiting for Plagg's answer. Plagg's eyes snapped open.

"I- uh... I am not answering that question!" He replied, insulted.

"Fine, whatever. You are lucky that I am tired and not in the mood to argue with you right now. Just don't do it again, okay?..." Adrien sat hunched on the edge of his bed with straddled legs, placing his thumb and index finger between his closed eyes on the root of his nose as he sighed. Plagg flew closer, so he could look at Adrien's face. _He was frowning._

"Calm down, nothing terrible has happened, so what?"

Adrien lowered his hand and looked up at him with a look that screamed a word 'Seriously?'. "But it could have, if I didn't find her in time! And it would be your fault!"

Plagg blinked at him. "Geez, okay, I know. But you have to admit that it's partly her fault, too. Since when are you two criminal-busters?" He responded in defense.

Adrien inhaled and exhaled deeply. "I think we are both old enough to make decisions on our own, Plagg. And Ladybug is just like that. She always wants to help people, even if it means she would put herself into a dangerous situation. Although she can handle things on her own easily, that doesn't mean she doesn't need my help sometimes. This time she underestimated that bastard's strength and something bad could have happened to her because of that. She may have made that mistake, but I should have been there by her side in the first place. Because we are a team. You get it now?" Adrien spoke.

Plagg sighed. "...You know what? I think I am going to go eat my camembert now."

Adrien rolled his eyes once Plagg flew away. "You are hopeless..." He said and lay down on his bed again, this time ready to fall asleep. He brought his blanket all the way up to his chin and rolled to the side. As he closed his eyes, more thoughts came into his mind. He thought about the time when he was with Ladybug today on the Eiffel tower. How she cried into his shoulder. He didn't know she felt so bad because of what happened _that one evening_... It made him feel sad again.

 _Nothing should have happened back then..._ He admitted to himself, even though he wants to be with her more than anything. He would do anything for just one more kiss...

He realized just how difficult the situation he was in was. _She only sees me as her best friend, her partner...nothing less, nothing more._ He reminded himself. Are things going to be now as they were before? Should he do something about it? Should he just act like nothing had happened between them? ...He didn't know. Suddenly, he remembered what Ladybug said. 

_"He always saw me only as a friend. Nothing more...I actually think that maybe...it is time for me to finally get over him..."_

She has to be one of his friends! That means she probably goes to the same school as him! _She is someone who I must know pretty well as Adrien!_ He realized. He couldn't help but to think about her identity. _Who could she be? She secretely loves me for 3 whole years!_

He was so close to figuring it out. He felt like he just needed one last tiny piece of the puzzle. But...did he want to figure it out like this? What if he did? What would he do next?... He would have to tell her, that's for sure.

 _It's better if I don't try to... I want it to be her who tells me her identity. It is supposed to be like that..._ He silently sighed. And realized that he actually doesn't want to tell her his identity yet, either. _She has to fall in love with me as Chat, my true self first._ He knew that otherwise...it wouldn't work out. He wouldn't want her to love him just because of the fact that he is Adrien. He wants her to love him for the fact that he is _also_ Chat Noir... To love him for _who he really is_... Not just for his perfections, but also his flaws. _As a whole_. _Just like he loves her_...

After a few more minutes of thinking, he finally fell asleep.

The next morning an alarm clock woke Adrien up. _Oh, how he hated that sound._ He groaned into his pillow, failing to open his eyes.

"Ughhh...What time is it?" Adrien asked his kwami lazily. But didn't get any response. That forced him to finally half-open his eyes and lift himself up onto his forearms, so that he could look around his room. He rubbed his sleepy eyes with his right hand, his hair being a mess. "Plagg?..." He couldn't see him anywhere. _Where the hell is he?_ He thought. Then he held out his hand to finally turn off his alarm clock, the sound of it was getting really annoying. He looked at the time. It was 7:30 in the morning. And it was _SUNDAY_.

Adrien sighed and sat up on his bed to stretch. He tried to look for Plagg... and eventually found him sleeping inside of the cabinet near his bed, the place where he always keeps cheese.

 _Of course he had to eat everything. Yesterday's argument was probably a heavy burden on his psyche._ Adrien couldn't help but to chuckle a little because of that thought and how accurate it was. He let him sleep and did his usual morning routine. Since he was a model, he needed to look good anytime and anywhere. Today he is supposed to take part in one of the fashion events... He is going to go there with his father and they will be looking at and rating some clothing designs from aspiring designers. And even though he will be more like his father's right hand there, he is still excited. He just loves talking to people. And he is actually going to spend some time with his father! But one of the main reasons is - that Marinette will be also attending the event! Adrien just can't wait to see her work. She is very talented - he is sure that she will recieve a positive response from his father. He would be happy to see her become a famous fashion designer sometime in the future...

Adrien smiled to himself, as he finally got ready to leave his room. Before he left for breakfast, he had to wake up Plagg.

"Come on you sleepyhead, we have to go. We have a long day ahead of us." Adrien said. Plagg yawned and stretched.

"Aghhh...fiiineee, I am coming." He said sleepily and flew into the pocket of Adrien's shirt.

"Don't worry, today is probably going to be more tiring for me than you." Adrien chuckled.

"I can already see it clearly - as soon as we arrive there an akuma shows up!" Plagg blurted out.

"Oh come ooon, don't be such a pessimist. I am trying to enjoy life here." Adrien responded.

"Fine, but if anything happens, I want an extra ration of camembert!"

Adrien rolled his eyes with an ironic smile at Plagg's statement. "Deal." He laughed, as he finally exited his room.


	5. A fashion contest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette is excited to participate in a fashion event, for which she has been preparing for quite some time. Is everything going to go as planned though?...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bit of an Adrinette chapter. UwU  
> Enjoy!

"Marinette! Marinette wake up! It's Sunday!" Tikki tried to wake Marinette up by pulling her blanket off of her.

"Uhhh...Wha-WHAT?!" She blurted out, sitting up in a split of a second. "WHAT TIME IS IT?" She panicked.

"Don't worry, it's 10:15, you still have plenty of time." Tikki giggled.

"OH HELL NO-" Marinette jumped out of her bed, throwing her blanket in the air. She immediately ran to her bathroom, almost tripping along the way. Tikki followed close behind. "Oh no, this is bad Tikki! I have only 2 hours left before it starts! I can't believe the alarm didn't wake me up! Ugh, why does this always happen to me?!" She said, frustrated, while brushing her hair like crazy.

"Calm down Mari, you'll be fine. 2 hours is a long time." Tikki said reassuringly.

"*sigh*... I hope you are right... AGH, CRAP! I still need to check once again if I have everything prepared!"

Marinette then put on a bit of makeup and finished her hair - she decided to go with a bun, since the weather was supposed to be sunny. It's also one of her favourite hairstyles to wear, it's comfortable and plus it looks cute, at least that's what she thinks. After that, she ran to her room again to dress up and prepare everything. She was running around her room from one place to another, grabbing all her stuff and putting it into her 2 prepared bags from previous evening. Suddenly she gave a horrified gasp.

"TIKKI! Do you know where that blue hat with a ribbon is? I can't find it anywhere! I think I forgot where I put it!" She blurted out.

Tikki blinked a few times. "Wait, I will try to look for it!" Tikki said and flew through the whole room. It didn't take long for her to find it. "Here it is!" She got the hat out of one of the drawers. Marinette's eyes brightened, as she quickly took it from her.

"Oh thank god! I almost had a heart attack there! This is one of the better pieces!" Marinette gave a sigh of relief. "Okay, I think this is everything." She breathed, finally calm.

Tikki chuckled. "See? I told you you'd be fine. We still have over an hour left."

Marinette smiled at her kwami. "Alright, I suggest we go and eat something before we head there."

Tikki nodded. "Great idea, I am actually pretty hungry now when I think about it."

Both of them giggled. And so Tikki flew inside Marinette's purse, as she went down the stairs to the kitchen, closing the trapdoor behind her.

"Good morning, sweetie. Everything prepared?" Sabine, her mom, asked, while making a coffee.

"Good morning mom, yes, at least I hope so..." Marinette laughed nervously, while she took a milk out of the fridge and a box of müsli.

"Don't be nervous, I am sure Gabriel Agreste will like your designs. They are all very pretty." Sabine smiled at her daughter. Marinette sighed, preparing her breakfast.

"You really think so?"

"I am sure of it. Didn't you forget how one of your designs won that school competition? And in my opinion, you improved a lot since then!" Sabine told her, as she sat down next to her. Marinette gave her an honest smile.

"So here's my talented daughter!" Tom, Marinette's dad, came to the kitchen with a laugh. He immediately went to give her a 'big paternal hug'. Marinette hugged him back with a happy expression on her face.

"Okay dad, I think that's enough." Marinette laughed.

"So, when do we go? Should I get your things to the car already?" Tom asked.

"Yeah, that would be great, thanks. The bags are up in my room. We can head there more or less in 30 minutes, I want to be there sooner, so that I have time to set up everything." Marinette said.

"Alright then. Oh! And I brought you this from the bakery - for a mood improvement!" Tom winked at her and handed her a croissant.

"Oh, thanks dad! I will make sure to eat it before we go." She gave a chuckle and took it from him. Tom then went upstairs to get Marinette's bags.

30 minutes passed like a water. Before Marinette knew it, she was already sitting in the car with her dad. Of course she made sure to 'steal' some cookies for Tikki before they left. As she watched the passing city from the car window, a lot of thoughts came to her mind. She was kinda nervous, but also really excited. She has been preparing for this event 2 whole months! She couldn't wait to present her designs. The best thing is that if Gabriel Agreste would really like her designs, he could help her build a future career in the world of fashion! _That would be a dream come true!_ Marinette daydreamed. She tried not to think about the fact that an akuma could appear and ruin everything. That would be _really upsetting_...

After like 15 minutes, they were finally there. Together with alot, and when I say _alot_ , I mean _hundreds_ of people all around. There were ordinary people, people who were simply interested in fashion, but also a few celebrities.

 _Too bad Alya couldn't come today..._ Marinette thought. She really missed her BFF there. At least her dad was there to support her. As she looked around, she realized she didn't really see anyone she knew. She even tried to look for Gabriel Agreste, but couldn't see him anywhere yet. _He's probably somewhere answering questions from Paparazzi in a crowd of people._ She smiled because of the thought, cause she as Ladybug perfectly knows how that feels. After she signed up as one of the participants and got her number, she headed towards her place.

"Alright dad, I think I can handle it myself from now on. Thanks for your help." She smiled at him.

"No problem, sweetheart. Be sure to call me if anything. Good luck." They hugged.

"Sure thing, thank you!" Marinette waved at her father, as he walked away, merging with the crowd. The moment she couldn't see him anymore, she took a deep breath.

"Okay, from now on it'll be just you and me, Tikki." Marinette said quietly to her kwami, who was still hiding in her purse, careful so noone would hear or see her.

"You'll do great Mari, I am sure of it!" Tikki winked at her with a reassuring smile. Marinette also smiled back at her.

"Let's do this!" She said with courage. Thereafter, she started setting up all her designs and putting every one of them on their rightful place. It was now 12:10. She had five more minutes before the welcome speech starts. She checked her phone for the last time and finally, when she was done with everything, headed towards the podium with other people. _It was all so exciting!_

After like 3 more minutes, a tall man in a dark blue suit appeared on the podium, took a microphone into his hand and started the speech. "Good day everyone! My name is Laurent Mossé and hereby I would like to welcome you all to today's fashion event called 'Novice talents'! This day might become quite exceptional for some of the participants! Young talents not only from Paris came here to present their designs to anybody else but the famous fashion designer Gabriel Agreste himself! Who becomes the lucky one to recieve a positive evaluation? We'll see! At the end, someone with the best work will be chosen and will recieve a prize and of course a gateway to the great future in the fashion world! But now, let's welcome Gabriel Agreste and his son, _Adrien Agreste!_ " The man finished talking and people started clapping and whistling, as 2 more figures stepped onto the podium.

Marinette gasped. _WHAT! Adrien is there too?! How did I miss that!?_ She watched both Gabriel and Adrien stand next to each other, waving. Adrien was smiling. _Well, of course he was_. _He was Adrien_. She couldn't help but to melt just from looking at him. She felt like she fell in love with him all over again. _He looked so good!_ Even better than he usually does at school! He was wearing a black and white formal suit, including a bowtie and low shoes. His blond hair was styled to the side, also shinier than usual!

...Eventually, Marinette also started to clap. The man handed the microphone to Gabriel, who didn't really change his face expression. People fell silent, once he started talking.

"Thank you everyone. We are really glad to be here today with all of you. Now, to the participants. We are really looking forward to seeing your work. We would like to wish you all good luck, may one of you reach your dream today." Gabriel finished talking and Adrien took the microphone.

"But now, without any further ado, let's get started, shall we?"

People started clapping again, this time including Marinette. She still couldn't believe that Adrien was also there and that he'll see her designs, too! _Why didn't he tell me anything about it at school?... Well, maybe his father decided to bring him along only like a day ago... Or he wanted it to be a surprise?..._ She wondered.

In a matter of minutes, the huge crowd of people around the podium disappeared. And all the participants, including Marinette, went to their spot. She checked all of her designs once again and took another deep breath, as she watched Gabriel and Adrien rate the designs of the first person. She couldn't hear almost anything, Gabriel mostly just stood there with a serious expression and studied everything closely. Adrien, on the other hand, was still smiling, talking and he kept pointing out various details. _He was such a sunshine boy_. It took Gabriel and Adrien about 15 minutes to reach Marinette. And now, here they were, standing right in front of her.

"Oh, hey Marinette! Glad to see you there." Adrien greeted her and gave her a friendly smile.

"Oh, hi Adrien! Good afternoon, Mr. Agreste." She greeted them.

"Good afternoon. Mrs. Dupain-Cheng, right? We have met each other before." Gabriel said with a plain face.

"Yes, indeed." Marinette tried to smile at him.

"Marinette is very talented, father. She has already won some of the school design competitions in the past, do you remember?" Adrien said enthusiastically and winked at her unobtrusively.

"Hmmm, yes, in fact, I do. But I would like to see and hear about your new designs right here, Mrs. Dupain-Cheng." Gabriel lifted his glasses and put his hands behind his back.

Marinette nodded and took a last deep breath, before she started to present her designs one by one. The design she was the most proud of was a party dress, which was dark blue as night, glittering as stars and had a very original cut. The waist was decorated with a white ribbon and an artificial rose. When Gabriel focused his attention on them, she got nervous. She couldn't say what his opinion was. Adrien, however, made sure to praise her work.

"Wow, those are really pretty Marinette. I love the detail! I am sure you put a lot of time in those, it's really noticable." He looked at the dress closely.

"Thanks." She smiled at him. He was so nice to her... She couldn't help but to blush a little bit.

Gabriel looked at the dress once again. "Very interesting cut. I like how curved it is." He said, while lifting his glasses once again. Marinette just nodded in response.

After that, she continued with presenting, both of them studying the rest of her designs. Gabriel was mostly quiet, Adrien said something nice here and there. And before she knew it, they both said their goodbye to her and moved on to the next person.

"Pheeew... Well, that was something." Marinette said to herself.

"You did great! I was listening the whole time and I think you have a good chance of winning!" Tikki said to her in a happy tone, peeking out of her purse.

"You think so? Well, we'll see... Now I just have to wait." She sighed and waited for the event to come near it's end. During that, some other people stopped by to also look at her designs. Everyone praised her work, which made her honestly happy.

Finally, Adrien and Gabriel left the last participant. The crowd of people started forming again in front of the podium, as the man stepped onto the stage the second time that day. He cleared his throat before speaking. "So, those were all of our participants! They all did an amazing job, indeed. BUT! There can be only one winner. But don't worry! If it won't be you who wins today, that doesn't mean you have to give up on your dreams! As we say here in Paris: _Never give up!_ The person who will recieve the prize today proved their amazing talent and their passion for what they love doing the most - designing! The winner will be announced by Gabriel Agreste in a few moments!" The man slightly bowed and handed the microphone to Gabriel. He also cleared his throat.

"Everyone did a great job on their designs. I was pleasantly surprised. Unfortunately, as said before, the winner can be only one. So.... The winner of the event called 'Novice talents' is........."

People were quiet again, everyone was tense. Marinette too. She held her breath and silently prayed. _Please, Please, Please, Please, Please, Pl-_

"Marinette Dupain-Cheng!" Gabriel announced.

People started clapping, but Marinette was in shock. _She actually won!_ She couldn't believe it. She felt like she was about to cry and jump in the air out of pure happiness.

"Please, come to us." Gabriel said.

Marinette didn't hesitate anymore and hurried to the stage with a wide smile on her face.

Gabriel shook her hand. "Congratulations, Mrs. Dupain-Cheng. I am already looking forward to seeing your future work." He said, but this time, he actually _smiled!_ That was probably the first time she has ever seen him like that.

"Thank you so much, I really appreciate it." It was hard to speak, she was just so _happy_.

Gabriel just gave her a nod in response. He then looked to the left, so she did too. There was Adrien, holding her prize in his hands and smiling broadly at her.

"Congratulations, Marinette. You really deserve it." He told her, as he handed her the prize. Marinette gave him a big smile, struggling to hold tears of happiness. She thanked him and turned around to face the clapping people in front of her. When she was little, she used to be scared of stages and places with a lot of people, or just of the thought that many people were watching her. But since she became Ladybug, she overcame that fear. She didn't feel any fear or nervousness now. _She only felt happiness_.

"Here, if you would like to say something." Gabriel handed her the microphone. Marinette took it into both of her hands, before she turned back to face the people in front of her. And then she saw him - _her dad!_ She took a breath.

"I... I am just so happy right now... I want to thank everyone who supported me, my friends, my family... It means a lot. Without you, I would probably never be where I am now. Thank you. And I am really glad I could be there today with all of you. You all did an amazing job, I really enjoyed it. Thank you all once again for an amazing time." Marinette finished talking and returned the microphone back to Gabriel, who handed it to Laurent Mossé, who came from the right.

"Really beautiful words from our winner. Please one more applause for Marinette Dupain-Cheng!" He said enthusiastically. People cheered again.

After a few more words, the event was over. People started to leave, but some of them remained and just talked with others or tried to get autographs from Gabriel and Adrien and some other celebrities. Marinette immediately ran to her dad and hugged him tightly.

"I am so proud of you, Mari." He told her. That's when she cried a little bit into his shoulder with a big smile spreaded across her face. She then called Alya, her mom and her other friends about the whole thing. Everyone was so happy for her. The other participants also came to congratulate her. It was a dream come true...

After like 30 more minutes, there weren't that many people anymore. Marinette was sitting with her father at one of the tables which were aside. Finally she could relax for a bit... As she was talking to her dad, his phone suddenly rang.

"Oh... Marinette, can you please hold on for a minute or two? I will be right back." He said, grabbing his phone and sitting up.

"Of course..." She smiled at him as he left.

"What did I tell you? I knew you were the best, Mari! Congrats!" Tikki said to her chosen happily.

"Thanks Tikki. I still can't believe it!" She giggled. But her eyes snapped open, once she heard steps close behind her. Before she could turn around, he already spoke.

"Hey Marinette. Mind if I sit with you for a minute?" He asked amiably. _It was Adrien!_ Marinette gave a silent gasp of surprise, turning her head to face him.

"Oh, Adrien! No, no of course not! You can sit down." They both smiled at each other, as Adrien sat down next to her. He put his one hand on the table and sighed. He sounded pretty tired.

"What a day, huh?... I think I probably lost my hand from all that autograph signing..." He chuckled, Marinette joining him.

"Yeah, can't wait to go to bed." She breathed. Adrien smiled at her adoringly.

"Exactly... Hey, I know I have already told you, but you did a really great job! Even my father was really impressed! I actually saw him smile for the first time _in weeks!_ Crazy, right?" Adrien tried to laugh, but it sounded disappointed instead. He rubbed the back of his neck, as his head dropped and he looked down.

"Wait, really? No way... I know you have always said that he was a cold person, but this...?" She said, feeling bad for him.

"Yeah..." He shrugged. "But let's not talk about that. After all, this is a special day for you. I wouldn't want to ruin it." Adrien continued. "You're here with your dad, correct?" He asked.

Marinette blinked at him. "Yeah! Why do you ask?"

Adrien straightened up on his chair. Suddenly, he stood up slightly and held out his hand towards her face, leaning closer to her. Marinette froze. Her heartbeat increased rapidly in a matter of seconds. _What is he doing?! Is he going to-_

He put his hand near her left ear and whispered into it. She would lie if she said it didn't send shivers down her spine... "He's standing right behind you." After that, he pulled away with a chuckle. Marinette just stared at him without words, blushing.

"I hope I didn't interrupt anything." Tom laughed. Marinette finally turned to him.

"No, absolutely not! We were just talking." She blurted out, her cheeks pink. She looked at Adrien, who was now staring at his father and bodyguard, who weren't far away. He sighed, standing up.

"Well, I am sorry, but unfortunately I have to go now. It was nice talking to you, Marinette. It would be great to repeat it like this sometime. What do you say?"

Marinette stared at him with wide eyes for a few seconds. _'Like this'? Does he mean...just me and him?_

"Oh, yeah! Of course! I would love to!" She gave him a wide smile.

"Great! See you at school then, Marinette. Goodbye Mr. Dupain!" He waved at them, walking away.

"Bye!"

And that was when Adrien left with his father and his bodyguard. Marinette and her dad left soon after. While they were driving home, Marinette couldn't stop thinking about the whole event. Not only that she's actually won, but she's also talked to Adrien for a while! As she thought about him, she mentally facepalmed. _She is not supposed to fall in love with him again! She is supposed to get over him, goddamnit!_ Well, she realized, that one thing is for sure - _this was going to be a long journey_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so, please keep in mind I don't know much about this 'fashion stuff'. I don't even know if contests like these really exist in France! I was too lazy to do any research, so yeah. ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯ This is all a figment of my imagination. But hey, Miraculous is a different universe afterall, plus the fluff is what we're here for, right? Anyways, as always, thank you for reading, hope you enjoyed! ~


	6. The Destruction Queen - part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ladybug and Chat Noir have to deal with another akumatized supervillain, the Destruction Queen. However, not only one complication comes across during the fight. They soon realize that this villain will probably be tougher to beat than they originally thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What kind of a Miraculous fanfic would this be without at least one akuma fight?... Well, I will be honest with you. This one and the following chapter were pretty difficult to write. Hats off to the creators of the show, because now I know that it is surely not easy to come up with a new villain and plot for each episode. (Although I would much rather see them leave the repetitive format of the episodes and focus more on the actual story and characters-)  
> Anyway, part two is coming soon.  
> Hope you enjoy!

Monday. It was _Monday._ Marinette sighed, while sitting bored at her school desk. She rested her chin on her palm, playing with her pencil, watching Adrien sitting in front of her. He also seemed pretty bored. Well, _obviously_ , it was a 5th lesson that day and it was a _History class_. Marinette felt like she would be grateful even for an akuma right now, just that she wouldn't have to stay. Fighting an akuma is way less boring than a History class... And she is sure that Chat would tell her a totally random joke or do something funny, just to cheer her up. _And here she was, thinking about Chat again_. The last time she saw him was Saturday evening, yet she felt like it has been weeks. Hold up a minute... does she _miss him?_ Does she want to fight an akuma right now because she wants to see him and not just because she is bored...? Well, it's probably both!... He's her best friend after all.

Well...that's something Marinette was telling herself. But... _something has indeed changed_. There was a tension between them for a while because of what happened _that one evening_... It made Marinette feel something she has never felt before when it came to Chat Noir. She felt uncertain and...guilty. She realized just how much Chat really means to her, how important he is to her. She treasured him more. She realized that she doesn't want to lose him. It's like...after all that has happened, he became even closer to her. As if it shifted their relationship in some way... Maybe...she was really starting to see him as... _something more_. But what about Adrien?... Well, she still has feelings for him, but still wants to move on. She is sure that it would be better that way for both of them. Wait...is she actually thinking about moving on from _Adrien_ to _Chat Noir?!_ No way! She's not _that much_ over Adrien yet! Well, more precisely - not in the slightest.

Marinette sighed in frustration. _Why does this have to be so hard?_ She couldn't help but to think about hers and Chat's possible relationship. _A romantic relationship_. Maybe she should give him a chance? See if she would like it? See what it's like?... It's not like they would have to stay together forever. They could always break up, right?... But then Marinette realized, that she would probably do that just for Chat, because she knows he loves her and she also knows _exactly_ how the unrequited love feels. She wasn't sure yet if she would go into such a relationship voluntarily or if _she_ would want to. She knew that if she forced herself into it just because of him, it wouldn't last. It wouldn't be right. It wouldn't be fair to him. No, there's just no way this could work out. Not to mention that in the end of the day, they are both superheroes with a job and they know almost nothing about their civilian selves, not even their real names! She trusts him more than anyone, yes, but how could she _date_ someone without knowing who it was?...

Apart from that, in a relationship, love should be two-sided. She would have to feel something _romantic_ towards him too... Which she doesn't. _Or...?_ She had to admit that she kinda liked the kisses and all, but could that mean something? _Could she be possibly falling for him?_... She hated the fact that she couldn't decide on the answer. But there was another thing - what if she actually got into a relationship with Chat as Ladybug and then she would break up with him? _That_ would probably hurt him even more. It's not like they could reveal their identities to each other anytime soon, so this scenario was totally possible. Would they still be friends after that?...

When Marinette gave a second frustrated sigh, Alya gently nudged into her with her shoulder.

"Girl, is everything okay?" She asked her friend quietly with a worried expression. Marinette finally snapped out of her thoughts. She blinked at Alya a few times.

"Yeah, everything's cool, don't worry." She responded silently with a weak smile. Alya didn't seem to take it. She raised her one brow and stared at Marinette through her glasses, like if she was trying to read her.

"You and I are having a talk later at lunch." She said. "No buts." She added, as Marinette opened her mouth to protest. The teacher was about to ask them to be quiet, when abruptly a nearby explosion could be heard. The whole class gasped.

"It's an akuma! Everyone hide!" Adrien suddenly stood up and shouted out of instinct.

"You are all dismissed! Everyone please be careful and do not leave the school until Ladybug and Chat Noir defeat the villain!" The teacher announced aloud. Everyone ran out of the class.

 _Looks like Hawkmoth listened to my prayers._ Marinette mentally kicked herself, while running next to Alya, who was now holding her phone. Once the realization hit her, Marinette slowed her down.

"Alya, you aren't going out to record the fight again, are you?" Marinette asked her friend seriously. Alya's eyes shone with excitement as she turned to her.

"Oh come on girl, you know me well enough for that. Of course I am! I can't miss this!" She blurted out.

"Alya! It's too dangerous! We don't know anything about the akuma yet! You should stay here!" Marinette grabbed her arm.

"Don't worry, I am old enough to take care of myself. I won't let anything happen to me, I promise." Alya winked at her with a chuckle.

"Alya!" Marinette shouted after her friend, who was now running away. The brunette turned around to run backwards and showed her thumbs up. In a few seconds, she was out of Marinette's sight.

 _Great. Now on the top of all that, I need to take care of my crazy BFF too._ She thought and started running towards the restroom, as other students ran past her. In the corner of her eye she saw Adrien right before she ran into the restroom, but she didn't have time to stop and talk to him. She needs to be Ladybug now. _Paris needs her_. Just as she shut the door behind her and made sure that she was alone, she transformed.

"Tikki, spots on!"

Adrien didn't waste a second. Right after he ran out of the classroom, he headed towards the boy's restroom to transform. He looked around for the last time to check if everyone was fine and didn't need any immedial help. He spotted Marinette not far away - she probably went to hide in the girl's restroom.

"No time to waste." He said to himself quietly enough so that no one would hear him and closed the door behind him. He gave a sigh of relief once he saw that he was alone in the room, leaning back against the door and opening his shirt for Plagg to fly out of his pocket.

"*sigh* Lemme guess, we have to save the day again, right? Who is it this time?" Plagg asked gloomily.

"Don't know. We will have to find out." Adrien responded. He shoved his fist into the air, while saying the two magic words.

"Plagg, claws out!"

In a split of a second, Plagg flew into his ring and transformed him into Chat Noir, the well-known cat-themed superhero. He inconspicuously peeked out of the window to check if it was safe to use it as an exit. When he saw that everything was clear, with superhero swiftness he jumped out. And with the help of his extendable staff, he flew up and landed on the nearest roof. He was about to call Ladybug, cause that was how they have been doing it these days - whenever an akuma showed up, instead of waiting for each other, one of them always contacted the other and gave a location. That way they could meet and defeat the akuma faster. Although most of the time they were actually both in the same place at the right time... And apparently, one of these times was now. Just as Chat Noir was about to press 'call' on his 'catphone', Ladybug landed right behind him. She didn't even have to say anything, cause he knew right away that it was _her_.

"Chat Noir! Do you know anything about the akuma yet?" Ladybug asked in hurry. Chat's cat ears steered up after hearing her voice. He turned around on his heels and leaned down onto his staff.

"Oh! M'lady, I was just about to call you. About the akuma - no, _unfurtunately_ , I don't. I was actually planning to ask you the same question. Looks like we'll have to find out together." He winked at her.

Ladybug rolled her eyes with an ironic smile. "Let's just go and track him down. Or her..." She said thoughtfully, holding her chin.

"My words. There was a nearby explosion not so long ago. Let's check if everyone is alright first. I think it was somewhere near the park." Chat responded with a serious tone towards the end and straightened again.

"I suggest you go check it there first then, I will try to look for the villain in the meantime. And if I will find _him_ or _her_ , I am gonna send you a location. Or you to me...according to the situation. It'll save us time." Ladybug responded seriously.

"Normally I would argue with you, but we have no time to waste now. Just promise me you will be careful." Chat said, grabbing his baton again, ready to jump away. Ladybug smiled at him and at the fact that he cared about her so much.

"I promise. But now go, Paris needs us."

Chat Noir gave her a silent nod and using his staff he jumped onto another roof and headed towards the park. Ladybug firstly ran in the similiar direction, but soon their paths splitted. She searched the city in an attempt to spot any hint of the akuma's presence. It didn't take long before she saw people screaming and running out of one of the buildings.

 _Oh no, I hope that Alya is not somewhere around here. This could really be dangerous._ She thought.

"People of Paris, fear, because the Destruction Queen is here!" The akumatized woman shouted, as she floated in the air. She had long black hair that messily floated in all kinds of directions around her head. Her skin was pale, almost white. Something like a dark smoke was coming out of her eyes, which had black color instead of white in them. She wore a black and dark blue dress with a burst pattern and spikes on her collar, also high black boots and something like a dark aura was surrounding her. Ladybug had to admit that she looked kinda _scary_. And even though she was a woman, she had a pretty deep voice. She was an adult, that was for sure.

 _The Destruction Queen? That looks more like a job for Chat Noir..._ Ladybug thought with a snort. She then sent Chat the location she was in, just as she promised.

"This stops now, I won't let you destroy anything else!" Ladybug shouted at her as she jumped towards the villain. She grabbed her yoyo and started spinning it in her hand to form a shield. Destruction Queen immediately noticed her and gave her an evil laugh.

"Look who do we have here! Ladybug, we'll surely see about that! How about you give me your Miraculous?" The villain laughed evily again and aimed with her hand at the ground near the spot where Ladybug stood. Then, in a split of a second, a black ray fired from her bracelet.

 _That must be the akumatized object!_ Ladybug realized and managed to jump out of the way fast enough before the groud ruptured beneath her. She had to come up with a plan. _And fast_. She didn't want to summon her Lucky Charm yet, she would only have 5 minutes left after that to defeat the villain. She decided it would be better to wait for Chat Noir now, she didn't believe that she could defeat her without his help. She seemed like she was one of the _stronger villains_.

"Don't jump away, I want to be able to tear you apart with my power!" The Destruction Queen shouted, while she continued firing with her bracelet after her. Anything the ray touched shattered into pieces right away.

"I don't intend to take your dreams." Ladybug cried at her in response, as she kept on running, dodging the attacks. She realized that she couldn't really hide behind anything... This akuma could literally destroy anything with a wave of her hand. And the worst thing was that she had no idea what happens if the ray hits _a person_. Would it be _lethal?_ She didn't want to find out. But...if this akuma could really _kill_...then that would probably make it _the most dangerous one yet_. Well, hiding was useless now. She needed to _confuse_ her somehow.

"You're no fun... Watch the Destruction Queen in action!" The villain aimed at the old building.

_There's no way it won't collap if she is gonna hit it. There are still people inside!_

"NO!" Ladybug cried out.

"The queen of destruction you say? Sorry to crush your little dreamworld, but I am the only true master of that power." Chat Noir, who just arrived to the scene, said aloud teasingly. The villain paused and looked towards him with clenched teeth from anger. Ladybug also fixed her gaze at him. He was standing on the top of the other nearest building and was holding his staff with one hand, having it partly leaned on his shoulder.

"Oh really? But can you do _this?!_ " She fired at him. Ladybug had a momentary heart attack. _Why does he have to show off all the time?!_

Chat's eyes snapped open and his mouth shut immediately. Yet he managed to jump out of the way with style. Ladybug gave a sigh of relief. _That stupid cat._ She thought.

"Well no, but I can surely do _this!_ " Chat said aloud with a smirk. He extended his baton towards the villain and pushed her with it into the wall, which cracked because of the force. The Destruction Queen cried in pain after the impact. She yelled angrily and was about to destroy Chat Noir's staff, but he quickly made it short again. That's how she fell down on the ground. Meanwhile, Chat jumped down and was standing right beside Ladybug now.

"Everything good?" He asked her.

Ladybug finally closed her opened mouth. That wasn't what she expected Chat to do at all. "Yeah. You arrived just in time, she was about to send that old building down! We have to get everyone to the safety!" She blurted out.

"But she is down now! It's our chance!" Chat suggested instead, as he turned his head and looked towards the villain.

"No! We wouldn't make it in time! She is too strong! We need to figure out how _exactly_ we will defeat her and take care of all the people first!" Ladybug said seriously.

"You're the leader, M'lady."

After that, both of them ran towards the old building to get everyone out. Ladybug stopped halfway to alert everyone nearby.

"Everyone get away from here! Now!" She opened her yoyo and lifted it above her head, a white light flying up from out of it to the sky. She always used this function to alert people about a dangerous area. It could be seen from miles away. People, who used to be still around, ran away, some of them screaming. The Destruction Queen came back to her senses again, as Ladybug ran inside the old building after Chat Noir.

"Argghh, you both will pay for this!" She shouted angrily, a notorious butterly symbol in front of her face.

Chat Noir and Ladybug managed to get people out of the building through the windows - it was the fastest and the safest way. They returned back in to look for other people. Too bad they didn't know that they didn't have to. No one else was inside anymore. _Except for them and the Destruction Queen_.

"Do you see anyone else?" Ladybug asked Chat worriedly.

"No... I think this might be a good time to use that Lucky Charm of yours, don't you think?"

Ladybug glanced at him. "Don't worry, I have a plan-" She was about to explain her plan to Chat, but suddenly an evil laugh could be heard nearby. Chat's super-hearing hit in.

"Shit. Ladybug, look out!!" He shouted, as the destructive ray hit the wall in front of them. It cracked immediately and bricks flew in all directions. Even the pillars started to fall and the ceiling started to crack too. Everything around was about to fall down _right on them_.

Ladybug gasped when Chat jumped on her, gripping her firmly with his arms. _He was determined to protect her with his own body_. After that, everything went black.

One of the first things Ladybug felt was the extra weight on her. When she finally managed to open her eyes, the first thing she saw was _black_. And... _a bell?_... It was Chat. He was above her, holding her close...

 _He saved me..._ She realized and started to really worry about him.

"Aghh... Ch-Chat?" It was hard to breathe because of all the dust that was around. Ladybug started to cough, as she tried to move under Chat's weight. Apparently they weren't smashed, so they had to be in some kind of space that had formed between all the wreckage. Due to the darkness, Ladybug didn't know how big that space was though.

To her relief, Chat moved a bit with a growl. He finally opened his eyes slightly. "Argh... Ladybug, are you whole?" He asked and once he identified the situation they were in, he tried to lift himself up, but found out that there wasn't enough space for that. _He was lying on top of her and couldn't get out of that position_. This was bad.

"Yeah, I think so... What about you?" Ladybug asked in a worried tone. Chat stayed quiet for a few seconds.

"I...I dunno. My back hurts, but it shouldn't be anything serious..." He responded weakly.

"Oh no... We need to get out of here...*cough*" Ladybug tried to touch the surroundings with her hand.

"Heh, we're in a pretty _tight_ situation..." Chat joked, steadying himself with his hands on either side of her shoulders.

"That wasn't funny at all, Chat." Ladybug said warningly, looking at him with annoyance in her eyes.

"Sorry, I know." He started to caugh too. "Stupid dust." He added, irritated. Ladybug moved under him again, rubbing against him, which made him swallow. "Sorry for squishing you..." He honestly felt bad for it. Ladybug seemed to ignore it at first, because she was still searching around with her hand. After a while she gave up.

"It's okay... I think I can handle it for now." She sighed. "But we can't stay like this forever... Do you have any idea how to get us out maybe?"

Chat raised his hand to see what was above them. "It looks like the piece above us is whole, should I use my Cataclysm?"

Ladybug wasn't sure. Should he? What if there was more wreckage above it? Then it would all fall on them!... But what other option did they have? There was still a chance that it could save them... No. It was too risky... There had to be another way.

"That's probably not a good idea. It could cause more wreckage to fall on us... It's too risky." Ladybug replied. "Maybe... Maybe my Lucky Charm could help."

"Alright. Whatever you say, M'lady." Chat said with a sigh.

"Lucky Charm!" Ladybug exclaimed. A pink light illuminated the dark space for a moment.

"So...what is it?" Chat asked, unable to look at it properly himself.

 _Crap, I hope we will get out of there soon. I am not sure for how much longer I can take this..._ Chat thought. Having her body pressed against his like this did things to him... the feeling of desire was getting unbearable. He had trouble fighting the urge to purposely rub against her even more, particularly against her thigh, once he felt arousal shoot through his whole body, nestling between his legs. _Darn it Agreste, not now! Control yourself, goddamnit!_ He mentally cursed to himself and gulped again.

"It's a...it's a shield!" Ladybug said triumphantly.

"A shield? What kind of shield?" Chat asked, confused.

"The type of shield that was used in the Middle Ages. I am surprised it fit there..." Ladybug answered thoughtfully.

"Any bright ideas?"

Ladybug quickly looked around, she already had a plan in her head. "Yes, listen carefully. I need you to hold the shield above our heads. Then you'll take your baton and you will put it into a position between the shield and the ground. I will hold it in place, while you'll use your Cataclysm on the piece that is above us. Right after it gets destroyed, you will extend your baton and throw us up. You will have to hold the shield above us the whole time, in case more wreckage would fall on us. Get it?" Ladybug spoke with a serious tone. Chat was silent for a few seconds, processing everything.

"Ehhh...I think so. But are you sure it's safe?..." He asked her uncertainly.

"There is no other option. We have to try it. I am running out of time!" Ladybug responded.

"Right...okay, I am ready." Chat said. Ladybug nodded and handed him the shield. The space was small, so it was hard for Chat to get it in the right position, but eventually he got it above them. After that, he took his baton that was placed on his lower back and put it between the shield and the ground, just as Ladybug told him to.

"Okay, I will hold it in place. Now get ready. After you use your Cataclysm, it'll be a quick action." Ladybug said and grabbed Chat's baton with both hands. The positions they both had to be in now because of the lack of space weren't comfortable at all. Chat wasn't planning to wait any longer. The sooner they could be out, the better.

"Alright, on 3." Chat breathed, still holding the shield in it's place. Ladybug gave him a nod. "1...2...3! Cataclysm!" Chat exclaimed aloud and with just one touch he destroyed the piece above them. While it turned to dust, he quickly and tightly grabbed his baton and extended it downwards. Both of them flung up. And before they knew it, they were out. And now they were both standing on a pile of debris under which they had just recently been imprisoned.

"Lucky us. I expected us to be deeper than that." Ladybug said with a sigh of relief. It felt great to be out again.

"Yeah...but we should get the hell out of here! It's gonna collapse again at any moment!" Chat shouted and now both of them struggled to keep their balance, as the wrackage started moving under them. Ladybug gasped, looking around with panic in her eyes. And then she saw it.

"Chat! Grab my hand!" She cried out and held out her hand towards him. Chat looked her in the eyes for a second. _There was something like a twinkle between them for a moment as their gazes clashed_.

He took her hand. Ladybug grabbed her yoyo and without hesitation she tossed it towards a joist, which protruded from the hole in the ceiling above them. The string wrapped tightly around it.

"Hold on tight!" She called out. And so Chat clung to her firmly, as she swung both of them to the safety.

"Woah!" He breathed out after they landed on the solid ground. They were still holding hands, so they glanced at each other again, Chat clearing his throat. "Oh, right. Sorry." He let go of her hand and rubbed the back of his neck, looking down. Ladybug blinked a few times, then she shook her head slightly with closed eyes and a smile, while crossing her arms.

"Silly Tomcat."

Chat lifted his gaze back at her with a surprised/confused-kind of face. Ladybug let out a small giggle.

"Come here." She breathed, stepped closer to him and gave him a quick hug. "Thanks for saving me earlier. But remember that if you'll ever die because of protecting me, I swear I will kill you!" Ladybug said menacingly, having one hand placed on her hip and pointing at his face with the other.

"I will keep that in mind." Chat breathed out with wide eyes, firstly looking at her index finger, then at her. After a few seconds of staring at each other, they both bursted into laughter.

"Alright, but now let's go and recharge our powers, so we can kick that akuma's butt!" Ladybug said courageously.

"I just love how you can read my mind." Chat said with a smirk. Ladybug rolled her eyes with an ironic smile on her lips in response.

"If _you_ could read _my_ mind, you would know what I am about to say." She replied, crossing her arms again and rising one eyebrow with expectation.

"Ohhh, wait, I know. Something along the lines 'Just go and recharge before you detransform right in front of my face and a half of Paris gets burned down in flames'?" Chat imitated her humorously, but not offensively.

"Not bad." She breathed, faking to be amazed. They both exchanged a chuckle once more, before they quickly splitted to feed their kwamis.


	7. The Destruction Queen - part 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the second part!  
> Enjoy~

"Spots off."

A flash of pink light surrounded Ladybug as she transformed back to Marinette. A little red kwami flew out of her earrings and landed on Marinette's palm.

"Here you go, Tikki." Marinette gave her a cookie, which she just took out of her purse. Tikki started eating it and glanced up at her.

"Do you know how to defeat her yet?" The little god asked her chosen.

"I am still not really sure, but I think I might have an idea. Right now she thinks she got rid of us, we will take advantage of that and surprise her."

Tikki nodded and betimes finished eating the cookie, restoring all her energy. Marinette stood up.

"Let's do this." She said with courage. "Tikki, spots on!"

Ladybug ran out of the old building to meet Chat. To her surprise, he was already awaiting her.

"Do you know where the akuma is now?" She asked while approaching him.

"According to the news, she should be somewhere near the Louvre. And it seems like she surely wasn't waiting for us, with all that damage around." Chat snorted, looking around with his staff partly leaned on his right shoulder.

"Oh god. Hopefully she didn't hurt anyone while we were imprisoned together..." Ladybug said worriedly. Chat leaned closer to her with a teasing grin on his face and wiggled his eyebrows at her a few times. Ladybug blinked at him and took a step back.

 _He can't be serious right now. God give me strength..._ She thought and facepalmed, letting out a groan and nudged into him in order to push him away. He chuckled.

"Really? Now of all times, Chat? Some people might be in a _mortal_ danger right now! Now isn't the time to be joking around! This isn't funny!" Ladybug said, a bit angry. Chat stared at her with wide eyes, taking in her words.

"Wait... Are you saying...that this akuma can actually _kill?!_ " He blurted out.

"I am not sure, but it is possible. She can destroy anything after all... You saw what she can do." Ladybug spoke. She watched Chat's Adam's apple bob as he gulped. He seemed like that statement derailed him a bit.

"Let's not waste any more time then." He said seriously. And that's how both heroes started running towards their new destination, the Louvre.

"Hahahaha! That's right people! No one is going to save you anymore! Ladybug and Chat Noir are _gone!_ There are no more superheroes! And by the sunrise, there will even be no more Paris!" An evil laugh could be heard from miles away. The villain started destroying everything that was in her path. People were screaming and desperately trying to escape. The police tried to stop her, even with helicopters, but with no success...

After a while, Ladybug and Chat Noir finally arrived and hided on one of the roofs. They were really careful, so that no one would see them. Not even citizens, who were now all convinced about the fact that Ladybug and Chat Noir wouldn't come to save them anymore. They didn't want to be exposed by anyone. Right now they had to figure out a plan. _They can't fail again._

Now they were both crouching behind a wall protrusion of the roof, each carefully watching the events from behind a corner - Ladybug on the left, Chat Noir on the right. They both had serious expressions on their faces, examining the situation.

 _This girl is gonna be a tough one._ Chat thought, as he watched her crack the ground with her destructive ray. He looked at Ladybug, who was still watching the events. Without a second thought, his gaze dropped below...

 _What the hell is he doing?!_ Why is he checking her out _now?!_ This was a serious situation! He should concentrate, not stare at her, nor ogle her! He can do that later, but not now! He mentally kicked himself for doing so. Just a few seconds later, Ladybug turned to him, which forced his eyes to look up directly at her face.

"We will take advantage of the moment of surprise." Ladybug said, having one hand placed on the wall. Chat gave her a nod.

"Lucky charm!" She exclaimed, not too loud. A magical object fell into her palms. "A magnifier? What am I supposed to do with this?" She wondered aloud. Chat watched her look around in all directions with a pensive expression on her face. Suddenly her visage lit up, after she looked towards the sun. "Of course! Chat, I know how we can defeat her. You see - she can destroy any object, but there are things she actually _can't_ destroy. It's something that is intangible. Like _a light!_ We will use that against her!" Ladybug said with courage in her voice, while looking at Chat the whole time.

"You never cease to _ameowze_ me with your cleverness, M'lady. So, what's the plan?" Chat asked her with a courageous smirk, as he was kneeling on his one leg, resting his forearm on the top of his other knee. Ladybug didn't even try to comment Chat's terrible cat pun. Instead, she slightly shook her head in response and went straight to the point.

"Okay, so first of all - I need you to distract her. After all, you are a _purrfesional_ at that, aren't you?" She smirked at him.

Chat blinked at her a few times. _Did she just make a cat pun?!_ He thought to himself and seemed to be taken aback by it for a moment. It was rare for her to make cat puns, but when she did make one, it was something that he took as _flirting_ from her. He was a little surprised, but decided to go on.

"But of course. Whatever kind of distraction you have in mind, I'm all ears." He said, returning the smirk.

Ladybug expected that Chat would comment her pun somehow, but the reaction he gave her was enough, even without any words. She was actually grateful that he didn't, they had a work to do. She asked herself why did she make that pun in a first place. _Is she actually flirting with him?! And now?!_ Ladybug was a little angry at herself. _There is no time for this!_ She thought.

"I just need you to make her directly face the sun without noticing me. I won't show up until then. I will surprise her and use the magnifier to direct the beam of sunlight to her eyes. I will basically blind her for a moment - that will create a chance for us to take her down and for you to use your Cataclysm on her bracelet." She spoke.

"Got it."

Before they splitted and left their hiding place, Ladybug pointed out to Chat where to lead the villain. After that, both were ready to go their seperate ways and finally hopefully deal with the Destruction Queen once and for all.

"And Chat?"

Chat turned his head to glance back at her.

"Be careful."

He gave her a last nod and then, still slightly crouched, Chat Noir ran towards the Destruction Queen, who was still destroying everything around her, while Ladybug sneaked to her spot, waiting for the right moment.

"Hey you! You seriously think that destroying everything is going to solve any of your problems? I don't really have an intention of _dying_ because of that, you know." Chat said aloud, grabbed his baton and jumped from the roof to the ground near the akumatized villain. The Destruction Queen watched him in disbelief.

"What?! How is this possible?! The debris- It fell down on you!" She shouted at him angrily.

"You don't say! And here I thought I was the only one who noticed that." He spoke sarcastically, leaning onto his staff. "Where was I? Oh, right. Obviously your primitive plan didn't really work out, huh? Seems like you and Hawkmoth forgot who you are dealing with." He added provocatively. The villain gave him an agressive growl.

"Just wait for me to rip that ego of yours out of you alive!!" She yelled and fired at him with her destructive power.

"Yikes."

Chat expected her to do so, so he didn't have a problem with jumping out of the way. Using his both hands, he quickly grabbed a random piece of masonry lying on the ground near his feet.

"Catch this, _drama queen!_ " He tossed it at her with all his superhero strength.

The akumatized woman's eyes went wide. That wasn't expected at all. She managed to hit it with her destructive ray before it hit her, but still some pieces got to her, since her power allowed her only to break objects into small pieces, not dust. Chat took the chance to run and to possibly lead her to the right spot.

"Arggh! You will give me your Miraculous!" The Destruction Queen yelled as a purple butterfly symbol appeared in front of her face. She started to chase after him. Chat continued to dodge her attacks, until one of her rays hit the ground in front of him, which resulted in a huge, deep rift.

"Waah!" He forced out. _Crap!_

Now he almost balanced with his feet on the edge. And if it wasn't for his fast cat-like reflexes, he might have ended up falling down there. In a last second, he managed to put his baton in a correct position and use it to jump over. However, the terrain was still cracking and shaking under him, so he was truly lucky to get on the other side and the solid ground.

 _That was a little too close for comfort..._ He thought and proceeded to run again.

Ladybug watched everything from her hiding spot, tensely holding her breath due to the happenings. She believed that Chat knew what he was doing, that he can do it, yet part of her couldn't help but to feel stressed and worried about his safety. When he almost fell into that rift, she could swear she felt her heart jump up into her throat. Thankfully he made it over and everything seemed to go according to the plan again, much to her relief.

 _Okay, perfect._ She told herself, as she saw Chat lead the villain right where she needed her to be. She didn't hesitate and jumped in front of them, holding the magnifier above her head. Chat jumped towards her with a cat-like jump, rolled over and ended up just a little behind her. He turned his focused gaze at the akuma, after he jumped back onto his feet. Ladybug already managed to direct the beam of sunlight with the magnifier right where she wanted to.

"Gaaaah!" The Destruction Queen cried out, covering her eyes with her hands. Ladybug didn't waste a second and threw her yoyo after her to tie her arms along her body, so that she could no longer fire at them.

People watched them in amazement. There was a live recording of the fight in all TV's in Paris. Everyone was happy for the fact that their famous heroes were back to save the day.

"Chat, now!" Ladybug shouted, pulled the Destruction Queen to the ground with a bit of force and jumped on her to prevent her from moving.

"NOOOO!" The villain screamed, being all tied up, unable to escape.

"Cataclysm!!!" Chat exclaimed aloud. He quickly knelt beside Ladybug and the Destruction Queen and with just one single careful touch he destroyed her strongly attached bracelet. A purble butterfly flew out of it as it turned to black dust. Ladybug stood up and opened her yoyo, swinging it several times near her foot level.

"No more evil-doing for you, little akuma. Time to de-evilize!" She tossed her yoyo after the akuma and catched it inside. "Bye bye, little butterfly." She said once a white butterfly flew out of her yoyo to the sky. "Miraculous Ladybug!" She exclaimed triumphantly and threw the magnifier - her Lucky Charm above her head. Millions of magical ladybugs flew around, fixing all the damage that the Destruction Queen has caused and healing every single person that has gotten injured by her - including Chat Noir, who felt the remaining pain in his back magicaly fade away, after the ladybugs circled around his form a few times. Everything got fixed... _Once again_. People cheered as they watched the two heroes defeat the akuma.

After the magical ladybugs finally disappeared, Ladybug gave a sigh of relief. She felt...happy. _We did it._ She thought and glanced at Chat, who was standing next to her with his hands on his hips. He gave her a wide smile and held out his fist towards her. Ladybug also smiled at him.

"Pound it!" They said simultaneously, doing their classic fist bump.

"Good job out there." She told him, still smiling.

Chat chuckled. "Thanks, you too."

Ladybug then looked towards the Destruction Queen, who was now a normal woman again. She was holding her head, being pretty confused about what was going on.

"Ughhh...Ladybug? Chat Noir? What...What happened? Don't tell me I was...Oh no..."

Ladybug went and knelt down next to her, placing one hand on her shoulder. "You were akumatized, but everything is fine now, don't worry, Mrs...."

"Mrs. Leclair." The woman finished Ladybug's sentence. Ladybug gave her a soothing smile in response, while Chat observed them. "Oh my... I hope I didn't cause much trouble... I am really sorry... I should have been able to control my emotions..." The woman said upsetly. Suddenly they were interrupted by a beeping sound of Ladybug's Miraculous. Ladybug gasped, raising her hand towards her ear.

"Looks like we will have to save that talk for some other time..." Chat said, crossing his arms with a crooked smile and one eyebrow raised.

"I only have a few seconds left before I transform back! Chat, could you take care of Mrs. Leclair, please?" Ladybug asked when she stood up and reached for her yoyo.

"Sure thing." He responded.

"Great. See you at today's evening patrol then! Bug out!"

Chat watched her jump away with an amorous smile on his lips. He got a momentary heart attack, throwing his arms above his head, as paparazzi, cameramans and other people emerged from behind him, totally out of nowhere, including _Alya_.

"CHAT NOIR! That was a surprising fight! Could you please tell us more about it? How did you defeat the Destruction Queen? Where have you been? What happened? What about Ladybug?-" Chat stared at them with wide eyes, as he was getting flooded with more and more questions. When suddenly, in the nick of time, his ring beeped, reminding him about his remaining time. _I have 2 minutes left!_ He realized.

"I am really sorry everyone, but unfortunately I have to go now. Y'know, a tough life of a superhero. Please take care of Mrs. Leclair right here, make sure she gets home safe." He turned around to leave. "And don't forget that Ladybug and Chat Noir will always be there to protect you! Stay safe, folks!" He said, making his classic two-fingered salute, and with the help of his staff he got on the nearest roof. People made disappointed noises, as they watched their hero leave. Chat turned around for the last time and bowed. After that, he ran away and was quickly out of people's and camera's sights.

Marinette finally arrived home. When she showed up at the threshold of the front door of the bakery, her parents quickly ran towards her.

"Marinette! Oh thank god you're okay! We were so worried about you!" They hugged her.

"I am fine, don't worry. I stayed at school the whole time. And that akuma is defeated now, thanks to Chat Noir and Ladybug!" Marinette said with a smile.

"Yes, we know, we watched the live recording on the TV! We can tell you about it if you want!" Tom said enthusiastically.

"Sure dad." Marinette responded, sniggering. The whole family then went upstairs to the living room and sat on the couch. They talked about the whole incident, Tom describing every detail of the fight that he could remember. Marinette listened with interest, resting her chin on her palm and having her legs crossed. She loved seeing her dad like that. _He was telling it all so enthusiastically!_ She couldn't help but to smile the whole time.

After some more talking and a dinner, Marinette finally went upstairs to her room. Tikki flew out of her purse the moment she closed the trapdoor behind her.

"You both did a good job with that akuma today!" Tikki said, floating next to Marinette.

"In the end yeah, indeed. But we would never make it without our kwamis." Marinette smiled and winked at Tikki, as she offered her a cookie. "There you go, you deserve it."

Tikki's eyes brightened. "Thanks, Mari." She took the cookie from her and started to eat it.

After a while, Marinette decided to sit down at her desk and check the Ladyblog on her computer. It didn't really surprise her when she saw some new footage and photos from today's fight. _When did that girl take these?! I didn't see her anywhere! Hmmm....Maybe I was just to focused on the fight._ Marinette wondered, as she went through the photos taken by her BFF Alya.

 _Thank god she didn't get herself killed. She needs to be more careful, goddamnit._ She thought, although she knew her powers, in case something would go horribly wrong, could fix everything in the end anyway. Suddenly she stopped at one photo. She stared at it for a while, then started to laugh, smashing her hand against the table as she wheezed. Tikki noticed and flew towards her to see what was so funny.

"H-how could she c-catch this?! T-Tikki, look at my and Chat's face! Oh my god-" Marinette bursted into more laughter. "S-She has to delete that, I swear to god-" She laughed.

"Oh Marinette...." Tikki giggled. Marinette finally somehow managed to calm down again.

"Will you go on a patrol tonight?" Tikki asked her abruptly. That forced her to quickly come back to her senses.

"Um, yeah... Just like usual." She said, straightening on her chair. Tikki looked at her with curious eyes.

"Even after such a recent akuma attack? I don't think there will be any more akumas for a while now." Tikki spoke. Marinette blinked at her a few times.

"Uh, yeah... You know it's already more like mine and Chat's usual routine. And he is going to await me, I already told him we'll see each other tonight... And besides, an akuma isn't the only threat... Another criminal might show up, for example." She said.

"But Mari, fighting criminals is a job for the police, not you two. Your suits and weapons aren't designed and meant to be used in that way. I have already told you, but I still think it's dangerous." Tikki responded in a serious tone. Marinette lifted her gaze up at her kwami, sighing.

"I know Tikki, but I just feel like it's my duty to protect people in any situation. I am a superheroine after all... And it's not like I am searching for crime, it's just that when I see people in any kind of danger, I just can't stand and watch..." She spoke, looking at the floor. "And we are 17 now... I think that we can take care of ourselves. We protect one another... It's what makes us a team." Marinette continued. Tikki gave her a sigh.

"Mari, you really have it in you. That's what makes you such an amazing superheroine. Being so selfless and protective, always wanting to do the right thing. But remember, that there are things even _you_ are not enough for... Just be responsible and prudent about this whole thing. It's important to think about your own safety, too. Some people might be more dangerous than an akuma... Even Chat might not be able to protect you from those. You know that sometimes it can just be a matter of seconds..." Tikki said, looking down at her chosen. Marinette sighed again.

"Yeah... I know that, don't worry..." She responded.

"Good..." Tikki smiled at her.

"You're like my second mom, Tikki." Marinette said with a giggle.

"Well, someone has to take care of your maturing superhero self."

They both chuckled again.

Marinette thought about the whole talk with Tikki once again, before going out on the patrol. She knew that Tikki was right, but she also trusts herself - that she wouldn't do anything stupid in a dangerous situation, or something that might endanger anyone. She knows about herself that she is responsible and careful. And as she got older, it was only natural for her to change her point of view on her superhero life a bit. She doesn't only want to help akumatized victims, but anyone who would need it. And she is aware of all the risks that come with that... She also trusts Chat completely. She knows that he would be by her side in any situation... She was actually looking forward to seeing him once more. She was grateful for the fact that things seemed to be okay between them again. Just as they were before...well, before _that evening_... Marinette decided to shove her thoughts about it aside. She also decided to bring something sweet from the bakery with her. They both deserved a little pleasant snack after today's akuma fight, didn't they?

 _I_ _am sure Chat will appreciate it._ Marinette thought to herself with a smile. She looked at the clock in her room and found out that it was already 20:21. _I should get going..._

"Let's go, Tikki." Marinette said to her kwami, who was now floating in front of her, giving her a nod. "Spots on!" A few seconds after she said the 2 magic words, she was standing in her room as her alter ego, Ladybug. She stepped onto her balcony and with the help of her yoyo she inconspicuously swung herself into the distance.


	8. Together with you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ladybug and Chat Noir meet for the patrol after the most recent akuma attack...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ladynoir fluff, here we go! (~˘▾˘)~  
> Enjoy!

Chat Noir vaulted accross the rooftops lit by the moon and the evening lights of Paris. It was a beautiful evening in a beautiful city. _Oh, how he loved it there._ Although it was 20:00, the streets of Paris were still busy and full of people, just like in the daytime. Chat knew exactly where he has been heading, but since he still had some time, he decided to stop for a moment to rest for a bit and enjoy the breathtaking view only he could experience, thanks to his night vision. He leaned back onto a chimney, crossed his arms and gazed into the distance.

A silent sigh escaped him. There was something special and magical about being able to forget about everything and just be alone like this. Not that he minded being in someone's presence - he actually loves hanging out with people. And most of all, with _his Lady_.

Chat Noir smiled to himself as he thought about her and how she has turned his world upside down. Meeting her was truly a gift to him that he could never be grateful enough for. _She gave him courage to face his fears, strength to push through, a feeling that he could be certain with himself... Thanks to her, he realized the true meaning of life. She gave him a goal. Something that is worth fighting for..._

He is the bearer of the bad luck, chosen by the God of Chaos. But no matter how many times Plagg told him this, he never truly believed it. To him, before he became a superhero and met _her_ , his life was a chaos. And ever since he recieved his Miraculous, he has been nothing but blessed. Being Chat Noir gives him freedom that he misses as Adrien. His father's career and reputation have a strong hold of him, he has to be a perfect symbol for the Agrestes. He feels less pressured when he is around friends, but still needs to be cautious _every day_. But Chat's personality - _he can be himself without worrying about other people's opinions, say whatever comes to mind! He can feel free to use his alter ego as an outlet to explore his actual character without caution!... Chat was a part of him...and he learned to accept that._ And well...even though Ladybug doesn't return his feelings, she is always going to be the only girl his heart will ever truly belong to... She is always going to be _the one_.

Chat sighed once again, as the evening breeze flew through his blond hair. _He knew that no matter how long it'll take, he is not going to give up. He still has a hope... That she is going to love him for who he truly is someday. That one day, she is going to appreciate him the same way he appreciates her..._

  
Chat continued to observe the city life below. He fixed his gaze at the nearby restaurant. A classical slow french songs played in the background and people of all ages enjoyed their free time there - most of them were sitting inside.

 _If only I could take M'lady on a real date sometime... perhaps to some restaurant like this..._ He daydreamed.

Suddenly, something got Chat's attention. A waiter talking to a woman, who sat at one of the tables in front of the restaurant. At first, Chat thought of it as a totally normal and common thing, nothing special. But then he noticed that something was off about their conversation. If Chat recognised something reliably, then it was a nervous guy in front of a lady. He couldn't help but to inconspicuously make a few steps towards the edge of the roof, so that he could hear them at least a little. He knelt down on his one leg, resting his forearm on the top of his other knee, curiously watching them.

 _Wow, that poor guy is a total mess._ He thought to himself with a snort. He was stummering, almost unable to make a full sentence. Chat fixed his gaze at the young woman. She was very pretty... She had dark brown wavy hair and a red dress on. They didn't see each other for the first time, or at least it seemed like that from what he has heard. _No wonder he likes her, that dude has a great taste._ Chat thought as he continued to watch them with interest. But after a few more seconds, he just couldn't take it anymore. He mentally facepalmed. _What is that dope doing? She is just gonna get up and walk away soon if he'll continue to be like this!_

Chat decided to help the feller out. He stood up, not caring about any secrecy anymore. With clear conscience he jumped down towards the two. He landed right beside them, which caused them both to jump up a bit and gasp in surprise.

"Chat...Noir?" The young woman breathed out in a surprised tone, fixing her gaze at him.

"Good evening, ma'am. Sorry to disturb, but I was just passing by and I saw my good old friend, so I decided to come and say hi." Chat bowed like the gentleman he is and walked towards the waiter, who watched him with wide eyes, his mouth slightly ajar. The woman watched Chat put his arm around the man's shoulders and turn with him around, so that she would face their backs. Before the waiter could get even more confused, Chat inconspicuously whispered into his ear.

"Hey, I am here to help you out with that pretty chick. What's your name?" He smirked at him.

The waiter was quiet for a second, but eventually he nodded his head up and down slowly, finally understanding the situation. "It's Jean." He whispered back. Chat gave him a quick nod and turned with him around again, so that it wouldn't seem too suspicious.

"Good to see you again Jean, it's been a while." Chat nudged into his shoulder with his fist, not too strongly, letting out a chuckle.

"Yeaaahh... Haha.." The waiter laughed nervously, looking towards the lady again, who watched them with wide eyes. Chat followed his gaze.

"Oh! Where are my manners, may I ask your name, dear lady?" He asked her respectfully. The woman blinked a few times, but smiled at him eventually.

"It's Emma." She said ambiably.

"That's a really pretty name... But wait...! Jean, isn't that the girl you told me about?" Chat unobtrusively winked at Jean, who jumped up a little and started sweating because of the question.

"I uh... I don't know what you're talking about...?" He chuckled nervously again.

"Oh don't tell me you don't know, man. She is even prettier in person than how you have described her."

The woman looked at Jean with a surprised face, but subsequently she twisted a strand of her hair on her finger, looking down with a shy smile. The waiter opened his mouth as if to say something, but Chat was already on his way towards Emma.

"You talked about how beautiful her auburn eyes are, how fulfilling her smile is, that it spreads happiness all around..." He spoke. "He also told me that he would really like to ask you something..." He said in a low voice, while leaning closer to Emma. "Am I right Jean?" He called out to the waiter while straightening again.

Emma fixed her gaze at visibly nervous Jean, full of anticipation. "Oh? What is it?" She asked curiously.

Jean's breath hitched as he tried to speak. He glanced at Chat, who was now quietly encouraging him with his hands, moving his mouth as if saying a 'Go for it!' sentence. He gulped, took a deep breath and looked at Emma. "I uh... I was just wondering if... If you'd..." He cleared his throat. Chat showed him thumbs up. "If you'd maybe like to go out with me sometime...?" He rubbed the back of his neck and looked at the ground. Chat watched a glad smile appear on Emma's face.

"Sure, I'd love to, Jean." She giggled.

Chat grinned, putting his hands on his hips, as he saw Jean lift his gaze up again in a split of a second with a surprised face. His lips curled into a glowing smile. "See? I told you she would accept. Now, If you'll pardon me, I think it's time for me to go. This cat is also having a meeting with a lady tonight."

Both Jean and Emma smiled at Chat, as he took his baton into his hand. "Of course." They said simultaneously. Chat could tell from Jean's face expression that he was thankful for his help. _He seemed really happy_. Chat was glad that he could be there to help him out.

"A'ight then. Good luck you two, hopefully we'll see each other someday again. Stay _pawsome!_ " He said his goodbye to them, jumped onto the roof again and disappeared into the dark. Jean and Emma waved at him, until he was out of their sight. As Chat jumped over the rooftops, he smiled to himself once again. _He felt happy for that guy_. But he was also really looking forward to seeing _his Lady_. While running, he quickly checked the time on his weapon. It was now 20:29.

 _I shouldn't keep M'lady waiting._ He thought and headed directly towards their meeting place, The Grand Palais. 

  
Ladybug finally arrived on the top of The Grand Palais. She looked around, confused. _What? Chat isn't there yet?_ She thought to herself. Well, that was a little unexpected, since it was usually _him_ who waited for her on their patrols...

"And I am 4 minutes late!... Where is that cat...? This isn't like him..." Ladybug said thoughtfully, while checking the time on her yoyo. But before she could wonder more about the reason of Chat being the second one to arrive on their patrol, she heard someone land with a thud behind her.

_There he is._

She turned around to see Chat, who was leaning with his hands on his knees in an attempt to catch his breath.

"Look who the cat dragged in. Did you just fight a whole akuma army or something?" Ladybug asked humorously, crossing her arms and fixing her gaze at him with a crooked smile. Chat chuckled and raised up his index finger as to show her that he needs a moment to put himself back together, still breathing heavily.

"A very good tip, but nope. Something delayed me along the way here... Sorry for being late." He finally spoke, as he straightened up to his full height again. Ladybug blinked a few times and lifted her gaze up at Chat's face.

"Oh... and what?" She asked.

"Let's just say that I met someone who needed to help out." Chat responded, scratching the back of his neck. "Hey... Is that...curiosity I sense?" He smirked at her, pausing his hand moves. She blinked at him again.

"I just wanna be sure that you're not doing something I should know about behind my back." She tapped him on the tip of his nose with her finger.

"Oh, is that so? Come on, I know you trust me with that." Chat said, as he watched her hand drop down. She paused for a second and sighed.

"I do... I...guess it just seemed a little weird to me not to see you here first, like you usually are..." She looked away for a moment, holding her left forearm with her right hand.

"Aww, did M'lady miss meee?~" He asked teasingly, crossed his arms and leaned closer to her face with a teasing smile.

Ladybug glanced up at him once again. "Shut up..." She mumbled quietly, while also crossing her arms and cocking her head down, looking in the opposite direction. She didn't even realize that she was actually _smiling_.

"What was that? Didn't hear ya." He continued to tease her.

"Chaaat." She breathed out once she realized how _freaking_ close he was. Chat didn't need to be told twice. He immediately pulled away with a chuckle.

"Okay... I suggest we start the patrol then." He said, placing his hands on his hips.

Ladybug let out a giggle. "The proposal is approved." She joked and took her yoyo into her hand, turned around and started to walk away. Chat was quick to follow her.

"Sooo... just like usual?" He asked her. Ladybug stopped when they reached the edge of the roof and looked at him. He knelt down on his one leg and studied the map in his staff, still patiently awaiting her answer.

"Yeah. But I don't think we will come across another akuma today, I am sure Hawkmoth will need some more time to recover from his another failure." She answered, placing her hand on her hip.

"I think so too. But as long as I can be with you, I don't mind at all." He responded honestly.

Ladybug smiled at him sincerely. "Yeah, same here... I think I would probably be bored at home anyway..." _Did I just admit that I enjoy being with him?!_ She mentally asked herself. Why did she say _that?_ She could have just stayed quiet or say something else! Why was it so...natural and easy for her to say _this?_... But...why shouldn't it be?... It is true, after all. They know each other for a long time and he means a lot to her. Heck, she even told him that! _So why shouldn't he know this?_...

Chat looked at her with surprised eyes, but after a few seconds it was obvious that he was honestly happy to hear her say that. Surprisingly instead of some teasing response, which Ladybug expected, he just returned her the smile.

"Let's go then!" Ladybug exclaimed suddenly and with the help of her yoyo she jumped onto another roof. Chat's eyes went wide because of Ladybug's quite unexpected sudden actions. He stood up with his mouth slightly open, his green eyes never leaving her receding figure.

"Wait!" He called out, extended his baton and lunged after her. 

  
Now they were both running and jumping over the rooftops, Ladybug still ahead of Chat. As Ladybug swung herself over another gap between two buildings, not looking back, a giggle escaped her.

"What? A little kitty can't keep up?" She called back after him with a laugh.

"Are you calling me _'slow'?_ Chat responded, loud enough for her to hear him.

"Well then prove me wrong, if you can!" She exclaimed with a chuckle, amused, taking a sharp turn and heading in a different direction, still as fast as before. Chat slowed down a bit and crounched slightly, with his one hand on the ground he supported his weight, so that he could turn the same way. Suddenly a smirk appeared on his face.

"Challenge accepted!" He called out courageously and started to chase her. Ladybug laughed, but didn't slow down even a bit.

Their siluets could be seen and their laughs could be heard, as the 2 superheroes chased each other across the buildings of Paris. Anyone who saw them like this could easily assume that they were just kids under the masks having fun, but neither of them cared. What mattered to them was that they were both having a great time together. _And no one could take this moment away from them_...

"Give up kitty-cat, you can't catch me!" Ladybug called out, still laughing.

"We'll see about that!" Chat responded vocally and chuckled once more. He jumped onto a chimney, just like a cat, and from there he jumped onto another one. And onto another one... And so on. He still followed her path, but this time he tried not to be so conspicuous. Since his suit was black and he could move quietly like a real cat, it wasn't that much of a problem. Plus he did have quite an advantage with his night vision and good hearing.

Ladybug was still ahead of him, so she quickly turned her head to see how much. When she didn't see him, she took the chance and threw herself inconspicuously behind a nearby large brick chimney. She pressed herself against the wall and moved quietly beyond the edge, kneeling down with a silent giggle, raising her hand up to her mouth. _I am sure he won't notice me here and will just continue on chasing nothing..._ Ladybug thought to herself.

When she still didn't really hear him even after a while, she decided to stand up and to run again. She looked around for a last time in an attempt to spot her superhero partner, when suddenly... She heard that sound of rubbing shoes on concrete somewhere close behind her.

"Gotcha!" A familiar voice exclaimed from above.

She jumped up a little in surprise and managed to turn around, but before she could run away, Chat already jumped down on her from the top of the chimney, behind which she was hiding. She squealed because of the unexpected happenings. He wrapped his both arms around her, pulling her close, as they both rolled over a few times. When it finally stopped, Ladybug was the one who ended up on top. Because of the inertia force, she bumped into Chat's chest a little with her hands and chin. It all happened in a matter of seconds. And now, here she was, lying on top of Chat Noir, both of them laughing and breathing heavily, because of all the running.

"Not fair!" Ladybug breathed out between her giggles. Chat lifted his head up a little, so that he could look at her better.

"What do you mean 'not fair'?" He chuckled.

"If you weren't such a _sneaky cat_ , I would've escaped!" She spoke, sniggering.

"Sorry Bugaboo, but that's what you get for calling me _'slow'_. By the way, I think I just won the game of the cat and the mouse, huh?" Chat breathed out, triumphantly putting his both hands behind his head with closed eyes. He squirmed a little under her, as to show her that he got comfortable. Ladybug placed her palms on his chest and rested her chin on top of them, her gaze never leaving Chat's face, which was now glowing with a smuggy smirk. She rolled her eyes.

"What, want a medal?" She snorted, a sarcastic smile appearing on her lips.

"Well, if you have one... What can I say, we cats are just too good at hunting."

Ladybug shot him a glare. "You are a dork, you know that?"

Chat seemed to ignore it, he just chuckled once more in response, closing his eyes anew. After that, both of them grew quiet... And Ladybug couldn't help but to focus on what was happening. _She was lying on top of him! And she hasn't got up! Why hasn't she got up yet, goddamnit?! Did she...did she like it?! No way!_

She felt her body relax.

 _What am I doing?! I should get up, right now! I don't want to give him a wrong idea..! Not again!..._ Ladybug said to herself, but some unknown force inside her didn't allow her to. She was surprised because of her own actions, but couldn't ignore the feelings that this situation was giving her. The warmth of his body... the pounding of his heart. How she could hear and feel his every breath... How his chest slowly rose and fell under her, causing her own body to move up and down. What was this feeling?... It wasn't easy for her to describe. It just felt... _nice_. It gave her a feeling of... _safety_. That she was being protected. That as long as she was with him, nothing bad could happen to her... She felt comfortable and... _home_. She didn't want it to end... She just wanted to close her eyes and sleep... Or just to relax and stay like this... _on Chat's chest_.

Without an intention, a sigh escaped her. She laid her head on her crossed palms and closed her eyes.

"Hey...Chat?" She mumbled quietly.

"Mhmm?" He hummed contentedly after a second of silence.

"Could we... Stay like this for a moment?..."

She didn't believe her own words. _What did I just ask him?!_ She internally screamed. And even though she couldn't see Chat's face now, she just knew that he was making _that smile of his_. That smile that he did everytime she said something like that to him, obviously in some certain situation, or when she flirted with him. I ~~t's not like she did that often though.~~ That smile he did when he knew he made a good joke, because of her laughing. Or when he knew that he was right about something and managed to prove it to her somehow.

 _That. Same. Exact. Damn. SMILE._ Ladybug thought to herself and didn't even realize that the silence since her last question already lasted almost like 10 seconds. Finally, she felt Chat take a deeper breath, meaning that he was about to say something.

"Um...yeah. Sure..." He breathed out.

 _This wasn't awkward or weird at all, was it? They were just good friends chilling together, right? They just needed to catch their breaths after that chase, RIGHT?!_ Ladybug didn't know anymore. Why did this remind her of _that evening_...? That moment when they did...when _she_ did _that mistake_. She gave him an idea that she might feel the same way. She let him kiss her...touch her...and much more. Which later on caused problems between them. All because she wasn't able to control her own actions. Ladybug didn't want something similar to it to happen again. She didn't want to possibly hurt Chat more, nor play with his feelings and lead him on like that... And now she felt like the same thing was happening. She let him be in her personal zone once again. But something about it was different... _This_ was just so... _pure_. _Just her and him...being close_. But...not necessarily in a romantic way. As she thought about it more, she realized that there was nothing really wrong about it. It was just a way of them showing each other how much they mean and care for one another. How comfortable they have become with being together, how much they trust each other... _As best friends, partners_. That's why Ladybug didn't have the urge to ruin that moment, at least not yet.

 _Why not...?_ She thought and made herself comfortable once again. She decided not to think about anything anymore. She glanced at Chat, who probably had no idea about all the thoughts that were going on inside of her head just a second ago. He looked like he was honestly enjoying it - but not in a dirty way. He also seemed like he could fall asleep any minute, just like her. And even though she wouldn't mind to, she knew that mustn't happen. What if they really fell asleep and an akuma showed up without them knowing?! Sure, the chances were low, but they still had a responsibility.

 _That would be a cat-astrophe!... Did I really just think that to myself?... I guess spending so much time with him has an effect on me._ Ladybug thought. But she wasn't planning to get up. Not just yet...

She listened to the world around them. To the chirping of crickets, to the breeze blowing...the night muse. To the sound of the life all around... The pigeons cooing and flying, the fluttering of their wings... A small distant chatter of the Parisian citizens below... The streets of Paris... Everything seemed normal, yet calming and... _magical_. Everything about it. She was grateful for the fact that she could be here... _Together with him_. _Together with Chat_...


	9. A wish

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're continuing right where we left off. So, enjoy more fluffiness!  
> (Idk what am I doing with my life anymore, lmao.)

Chat Noir felt every muscle in his body relax. He didn't quite understand why was she suddenly so cuddly and okay with lying _on top of him_ , but he didn't mind it at all. He certainly wasn't going to _complain_ about it. After all, Ladybug feeling more comfortable with him and accepting his 'Chat side' was something he was hoping for. _It was his goal_. He realized that him knowing that Adrien was the guy she has been in love with all along wasn't that bad, or at least as he originally thought. Sure, he couldn't tell her the truth, but at least he knew that there was still a hope. _Knowing that basically gave him a reason to keep trying_. _To not give up and hold on_. She is in love with his one half, now she just needs to accept the other one too... It may take some time, but he is going to be patient. He is willing to wait an eternity for this girl if it meant that they could be together in the end. She was his everything... _She was everything he could've ever wanted_. _Everything he could've ever desired to protect_...

Chat was ripped out of his thoughts, as he noticed that Ladybug's breathing has somehow changed. It was now very stable, also a little louder, but still very tranquil. He lifted his head slightly to glance at her, but couldn't really see her face, since it was turned to the side, partly hidden in her hair. He raised his right hand and placed it on her hip.

"M'lady?..." He whispered and shook her gently. Ladybug just quietly hummed and wriggled a little in response.

 _She... she fell asleep?... How cute..._ Chat thought to himself, ogling her with an adoring smile. She was obviously sleeping. _She must have been pretty tired, huh?..._

Chat didn't have the heart to wake her up. She just looked so... _peaceful_. But he also knew he should probably do so soon. He couldn't risk himself also falling asleep. They both needed to return home... And as much as he liked it, his Lady deserved a good sleep in her warm bed, _not_ on top of him in a cold night. Thankfully, since the night was still young, Chat wasn't feeling that sleepy just yet. That's why he decided to let her sleep for a few more minutes, before he wakes her up. He moved his both hands and rested them on her lower back, as if hugging her. When suddenly, he felt a rumbling sound come out of his throat, making his chest vibrate. His eyes immediately snapped open at the realization.

 _Was he... purring?_... He swallowed slightly, hoping that Ladybug wouldn't get disturbed. She didn't seem to react to it anyhow, just hummed softly once again. And so he decided to let it be, although he felt a little embarrassed... Sure, he knew he could, in fact, actually purr, but it had happened to him just a few times and he still wasn't really used to it. He took a breath and eventually looked up at the night sky, as the deep sound of his content purring echoed around them.

The stars seemed brighter and more glittering than usual... The moon was also full tonight. Mixed together with the lights of Paris, it was a beautiful sight... It reminded him of every single time he had spent with Ladybug looking at the stars like that. The time when they competed in counting them, or when he showed her all the constellations he knew. When they just sat next to each other on some random roof and all they did was just enjoying the view and stargazing... He could remember every moment. Every patrol they did together... And even though every single one of these moments was different, they were all precious to him the same way. They were all special...and he knew he could never forget them...

 _Hopefully the best ones are yet to come..._ Chat sighed dreamily, his gaze dropping down to Ladybug again. He smiled to himself for the last time, as his green eyes took her image in once again. _A'ight, time to wake her up..._

"Hey...M'lady...wake up..." He breathed, this time a bit louder than previously, but still softly. He shook her carefully once more with his hands, placing one on her left shoulder.

"Mhhh...five more minutes...." Ladybug mumbled into his chest.

Chat chuckled. "Bugaboo, we're on a patrol, remember? Besides, you've been sleeping for quite some time now..." He replied.

Ladybug's eyes suddenly snapped open in a lightning speed. "Wait... I... I fell asleep?! Oh my god, Chat, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to! I'm so iresponsible! If it wasn't for you, we'd probably-" She blurted out, sitting up in a split of a second, but was interrupted before she could finish the sentence.

"Calm down, nothing has happened. And don't say you're iresponsible. You are the most responsible person I know. You were just a bit tired, that's all." Chat said, lifting himself onto his forearms.

 _Yeah, tired..._ Ladybug thought to herself. "*sigh* I just... What if an akuma showed up?! I should have stayed awake!" She said, closed her eyes in self disappointment and raised her hand up to her forehead, touching it with her fingertips.

Chat awkwardly cleared his throat after a few seconds of suspicious silence. "Uh... M'lady...I would really appreciate it if you would..." His voice trailed off.

Ladybug heard him gulp. She glanced at him, a little confused. _He was lying there under her, flushed like a tomato, staring at the spot where their bodies met_. And that's when a realization hit her like a pile of bricks. _She was sitting right on his crotch!_

Her eyes widened and she jumped off of him quickly, throwing her hands in the air, now blushing too. "SORRY!" She blurted out, hiding her face in her palms. "Please don't make this any more awkward..." She mumbled with a groan against her skin, more like to herself. It was a little odd, considering the fact that they were both embarrassed so much in this situation, although what they did together just a few days ago was something way more...well...embarrassment worthy.

Chat gave her a glance, still partly lying on his back. He quickly flicked with his eyes down and up at her again. His pupils suddenly narrowed and he tensed for a moment, letting out a sound he definitely wasn't proud of - something similar to a squeal, except that it actually got lost in his throat. Then he finally sat up, hunched down and crossed his legs fast in an attempt to hide his 'problem'. His eyes met hers again without turning his head. Ladybug felt kinda bad for sniggering, but seeing Chat flustered like this was just so... _funny and cute_. He looked at her with wide eyes, as she went and sat down next to him.

"You okay?" She asked amiably.

"Me? Oh yeah, why wouldn't I be? Don't worry about it." He blurted out and chuckled sheepishly. Ladybug blinked a few times, then she looked at him with understandment in her blue eyes.

"Alright..." She knew what was happening to him, and she also knew that it's awkward for a guy being in a state like this in front of a girl. Especially the one they like. She didn't want to make him feel uncomfortable or embarrassed by talking about it, so she just decided to simply brush it off...

She turned her head to look up at the sky above them. "The stars are beautiful tonight..." She breathed out dreamily and leaned back against her hands. Chat finally straightened a bit, fixing his gaze at her. He smiled to himself after a silent sigh escaped him.

"Yeah..." He said, looking up too.

Suddenly Ladybug gasped enthusiastically. "Chat, look! A falling star!" She raised her hand to point at it. Chat followed the direction with his gaze, smiling. "Make a wish!" She said happily, looking at him with a bright smile.

Chat couldn't help but to get lost in those gorgeous ocean bluebell eyes... There was _that spark_ in them. _That unique spark he couldn't see in anyone else's eyes_. Maybe it was because he loved her, maybe because she was truly someone special... Maybe because she is the girl he has been waiting for his whole life... Nevertheless, his wish was obvious. There was nothing in the world he wanted and wished for more...

"So? What did you wish for?" Ladybug asked joyfully. Chat cocked his head to the side, a crooked smile appearing on his lips.

"Isn't it supposed to be a secret?" He replied a little teasingly.

Ladybug raised her eyebrows. "Well...." She said, not really sure about what to say. _She was just curious, that's all_.

Chat noticed, giving her a small chuckle. He bent his one knee, resting his forearm on top of it and leaning back against his other hand, while his eyes stared into the distance. "Apart from that, I think you already know the answer..." He breathed, as wind blew through his blond strands of hair, still looking ahead.

"Oh...right..." Ladybug felt a bit sad. _Of course he wishes for us to be together..._ She thought, fixing her gaze at Chat's posture.

He didn't seem to react to what she had said, instead she saw him close his eyes. The moonlight was suddenly brighter, it was like someone above them would intentionally scatter the clouds. Ladybug's eyes widened after spotting something. Her mouth parted slightly, as she quietly watched the moonlight clarify it on Chat's jawline. _It was facial hair_.

 _What?! Since when does Chat have facial hair?!... I have never noticed..._ Ladybug thought to herself in astonishment. Since when does her Kitty grow facial hair? When did this happen? Well, she could have expected it, they were 17 after all. Of course she had noticed that Chat has changed in a lot of ways as he got older, but this... She didn't expect _that_ at all. It was just so... _different_. It was crazy how the time flew by... They have been through so much together... She could still remember him at the age of 14, when they first met years ago. He was just a silly boy in a cat costume... But right now, a _young man_ is in front of her. He was still the same Chat Noir she has always knew, but at the same time, he was different... There was a lot of things she's just recently noticed and a lot of things she felt like she was yet going to discover about him. The facial hair was just one of them... Well, at least she doesn't have to blame herself for not paying enough attention to her partner, because of not noticing it earlier. Since it was blond, just a little darker than his hair, it completely merged with his skin color. That made it almost unnoticeable, unless she would look closely... But still, it was there... _Another proof that her Kitty was no longer a 'kitty'_...

Ladybug didn't even realize that she was actually blushing a little, as she let her eyes wander along Chat's figure. He was still quiet and remained in the same position the whole time, unaware of her staring. Well, let's just say that his suit left _nothing_ to the imagination. All those years of 'superheroing around' were now definitely noticable.

 _Those abs... that muscular back...Those toned shoulders... Wait, what the-_ Ladybug tried her best _not_ to continue that thought, but failed miserably. She was not blind. Chat has become indeed attractive, and she hated that it was affecting her.

 _Okay... Since when is he this hot?!_ She internally screamed. Something was going on with her and she couldn't tell what it was. She was confused and conflicted between her own thoughts. Were hormones messing with her all of sudden? Could it be something else? Was it because of his almost model-like posture? ~~(Oh the irony... )~~ Because of the moonlight which illuminated him in a way that she could see his every muscle or a curve? Well, probably a mix of everything...

 _What ON EARTH are you doing, Marinette?! STOP. STARING!_ She mentally kicked herself and shook her head. Chat turned his head to look at her a second after that.

"And what about you?..." He asked abruptly.

Ladybug jumped up a little and her eyes went wide. She prayed to god that he hadn't noticed her gaping at him like a creep just a little while ago. "M-me? Uh...I-...w-what?" She stuttered and mentally facepalmed right after her words left her mouth.

"I meant - What did _you_ wish _fur?_ ~" Chat purred and leaned a bit closer with almost flirty-like expression. Ladybug felt like an idiot, but eventually answered his question, finally coming back to her senses.

"I... Well of course I wished for us to finally defeat Hawkmoth soon. But...also only health and happiness for the people I care about..." She said calmly and sincerely, held her knees close to her chest and broke the eye contact with him. Chat blinked at her a few times, but smiled at last. He turned his head to observe the city anew.

"That's a...beautiful wish..." He breathed.

Then both of them grew quiet... They just sat there silently together for a minute, letting the night breeze to blow past them. And then Ladybug remembered - _that snack!_ She gasped and grabbed her yoyo.

"Oh, I almost forgot!" She blurted out and pressed a button on her weapon to open it. The inside of it shone with white light, as she put her hand there to take something out. Chat turned to her, looking confused, but also curious and full of anticipation. His eyes sparkled when he recognised the mysterious object. "I brought us some chocolate!" Ladybug said merrily and offered Chat a piece. He instantly gave her a toothy smile, taking it politely from her.

"Wow, that's great, thanks! ...Wait, _no way_ \- this one's my favourite! I love it, it's just so...so... _chocolate!_ " He said enthusiastically, being the over-dramatic dork he is, and took a bite.

"Wait, really? It's my favourite too! And I agree, I wouldn't have described it better." She giggled and enjoyed the sweet, yet delicate taste in her mouth.

Chat glanced at her. "I'm adding that to my 'Things I know about M'lady' list." He announced humorously and laughed, Ladybug joining him.

 _He can really be funny and cute sometimes..._ Ladybug thought to herself with a smile.

 _She brought us a snack! How nice of her..._ Chat thought, savoring another piece. It truly warmed his heart, knowing that his Lady thought of him out of costume too. She had already brought them some snacks on their patrols in the past - and Chat always appreciated it. It wasn't that often though, which was fine, at least he could treasure these moments more... Not to mention that he loves snacks like these! Since he is a famous model as a civilian, he has to have a strict diet. He can't really eat sweet things like chocolate most of the time. But as Chat Noir, he lives a different life. No one can tell him what to do - his father, nor his catering consultant. _As Chat, he is a master of himself_. _He can be free, the person he wants to be_. _He isn't a model who has to follow any kind of rules, he is a superhero who can make decisions on his own_. That was another thing he loved about his other life...

While thinking, Chat enjoyed the flavor, which he didn't taste for quite some time now. He observed Ladybug with adoring eyes, as they both got a little dirty around their lips. Chat licked it away with his tongue without hesitation. Ladybug, on the other hand, didn't seem to notice.

"You've got some on your cheek..." He said and leaned closer, reaching out his gloved hand towards her face.

"Huh?..." Ladybug breathed, blinking a few times. She fixed her gaze at Chat's approaching palm.

"Here, let me wipe it away for you..." Chat said calmly, cupping the side of her face with his right hand and gently wiping the speckle with his thumb. He looked towards her eyes, which were now watching his every move. _And that's when their glances clashed_.

With their faces inches apart and their bodies close, they stared deep into each other's eyes, both of their mouths going slightly ajar... Ladybug could feel Chat's warm breathing tickling her cheeks, since they had such a small distance from one another. She felt her heart beat fast against her chest and heat build up inside her ears, as she watched Chat's cat-like pupils dilate slightly. She swore she saw him take a glance at her lips for a moment... Subconciously, she knew where his thoughts were heading. It literally _shone_ from the look on his face. And although she tried hard not to, she was hopelessly drowning in that gleaming emerald green, as if she'd found herself in a different world... _again_. She was trapped... _AGAIN_. It was the same as _that one evening_...

 _Come on, don't do anything stupid, Marinette!_ She told herself. But before she could make a move, to her surprise, Chat already pulled back, causing their eye contact to break. He looked at the ground as he did so. She tried to read his face expression at that second. It held... _doubt? Disappointment...?..._

Suddenly, he stood up with a sigh and looked around. Ladybug watched him, as if in trance. He then reached for his baton to check the time, raising his fist up to his mouth and clearing his throat before speaking.

"I think we should call it a night. It's _purretty_ late..." He said. "Although I would argue about you needing any beauty sleep, today's been probably quite tiring for both of us." He continued with a chuckle, holding out his hand towards her to help her stand up. Ladybug watched him with big eyes, but eventually she returned him the smile and took his hand.

"Alright, Kitty... Thank you for a great evening." She breathed out honestly.

"It's my pleasure, M'lady." Chat bowed with his hand on his chest. Ladybug giggled and took her yoyo into her hand.

 _He really is a gentleman..._ She thought to herself. Chat was always respectful when it came to women. She didn't only see that from how he treated _her_ , but also other girls. Sure, he was joking around a lot and was a shameless flirt, but he would never take an advantage of a girl or force himself on her. Just a few seconds ago, he could have easily kissed her. And although she could tell that that was what he was dying to do, he didn't. Because he remembered what happened the last time and knew she might regret it later. _He had a gentle side and whenever that side of him showed, he proved to her again and again how much of a good and caring person he actually is_...

"Let's meet on the Eiffel tower the next time." She suggested, smiling, after Chat straightened up again.

"Sure. Already looking forward to it." He smiled at her brightly, putting his hands on his hips.

"Okay then. Goodnight, Chat!" Ladybug exclaimed, giving him a last glance and waved at him after she threw her yoyo into the distance, ready to jump away.

Chat said his goodbye to her before they splitted. He then turned around, smiled to himself once more and extended his baton into a staff, throwing himself up. He disappeared into the darkness of the night, the moon shining on his way home, as he vaulted across the buildings of the well-known city... _Hopefully, one day, his wish would come true_...


	10. Thoughts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette has some burdensome thoughts at school, which doesn't go unnoticed by her friends. But she also realizes a few things... Who is this person that is secretely getting to her heart...?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey again, it's been quite a while, huh? ...Haha even so, I am happy to bring you another chapter! (Thanks to everyone who is still reading my story! <3)  
> I don't really have anything else to say, except - I hope you'll enjoy it!

"Girl!" Alya whispered and nudged into Marinette with her shoulder. "The teacher's said your name 2 times already!"

Marinette jumped up a little as her eyes snapped open. "Oh, I'm here!" She blurted out and raised up her hand above her head.

She wasn't paying attention _again_. What was wrong with her today?... She just felt tired and not that well for some reason. Not that she was sick or something - she just didn't quite feel herself. As if she had stepped out of her bed with the wrong foot today. It wasn't anything strange, sometimes she just woke up feeling like this. People do have their _bad days_. And Marinette isn't an exception, plus she is a Parisian famous heroine, Ladybug. People mostly think that it must be amazing to be a superheroine - someone so brave, someone who always saves people... Someone who is so adored by _everyone_. But that's not entirely true. It's a huge responsibility to carry for an ordinary girl like her. It's also pretty exhausting from time to time. And even though no one knows who Ladybug and Chat Noir really are, everyone puts so much trust in her and Chat, without any doubts. _Everyone always relies on them to save the day_. It is great to know, but at the same time, that trust has always terrified her in a way. _What if they fail?_... _What if they slip up even once and fail them all?_... Marinette asked herself these questions a lot of times in the past. She also talked about it with Chat once. And his answer was everything she needed in that moment. _Because of it, she is holding on_. She will never forget what he told her that one patrol.

 _"_ _M'lady, believe me when I say I know how this feels...having a world on our shoulders. But don't forget that you're not alone in this. W_ _e're in this together, we're a team... And I_ _'m here to help you lift that pressure. I'm here to listen, you just need to tell me, ok?..._ _People rely on us so much because they know we are capable of great things, because they have never seen us lose before. Most of them just don't realize we are also normal people with their own lifes and struggles under the masks. Though it can sometimes be hard, despite that, we have to stay strong for them. And that's why we're here for one another, why I am here for you..."_

She sighed, as she remembered his words again. He was right... _No matter what future brings upon them, they were in this together_... He was there for her and she was there for him.

Why was she thinking about all of this now though? After all, they had this conversation almost like a year ago, and she thought about it enough already after that. So why did her thoughts wander back there _now?_... Maybe it had a different reason, but she just accused her mood of it. Thankfully, it was now Friday, which meant a weekend was coming. A.K.A. 2 nights of a good sleep and almost 2 whole days of free time and no studies. And Alya promised to visit her too! Hopefully she will feel better by then. Maybe she was just really tired... She had to admit that as a young woman, she surely wasn't getting enough sleep lately. Not just because of school, but mainly because of her Ladybug duties of course. Even though there was no new akuma attack since Monday... And such a pause wasn't anything unusual. But there was still a chance that Hawkmoth was planning something bigger - she and Chat had to count on that possibility and be ready to fight at anytime. Day or night. Against one, two, or ten akumas.

Well, Marinette hoped that wasn't the case. She was afraid that all that lack of sleep and all could become her huge disadvantage at a bad moment, making her weaker in the fight. She couldn't let that happen, everyone, including Chat, is counting on her if Hawkmoth decides to make a move. And if they ever want to defeat him, they have to stick together and importantly, _be strong_.

"What's with that look, girl? You feelin' okay?" Alya asked quietly with a worried expression, studying Marinette's face closely. The school day was now almost over, just a few minutes left before they could go home.

"Um...Yeah, it's nothing really, no need to worry." Marinette responded and her lips curled up into a smile immediately. Alya blinked at her a few times before speaking up.

"Oh no no no no no. I'm not letting you get out of this so easily, Marinette. This is the second time this week! Something's obviously wrong and I don't understand why you don't want to tell me?" Alya whispered in a serious manner and gripped Marinette's shoulders, looking her in the eyes. Just as Marinette was about to say something, the bell rang, meaning the lesson was over.

"Okay students, that's all for today. Don't forget to have that assignment completed by the next Thursday!" The teacher spoke, while everyone in the class stood up and started getting ready to leave, packing their things. Including Adrien and Nino in front of them...

And that's when Marinette realized she has been staring. At Adrien. _Again_. How in the world was she ever supposed to get over him? Yes, she didn't change her mind, but unfortunately for her, that goal has been way harder to achieve than she thought it would be. And them aging up wasn't helping either. She could have sworn that there was no way Adrien could get any more handsome since the first time they met, but apparently he could. _Oh, she knew her hormones would be the death of her someday_.

"Girl, I was talking to you! Seriously, what's wrong?" Alya shook her slightly by the shoulders, forcing Marinette to look back at her.

Face colored with bright blush, Marinette let out a small nervous chuckle, pushing Alya gently away, as she saw out of the corner of her eye that both boys were now looking back at them.

"Yo, what's up ladies?" Nino asked first, his voice now even deeper than how it used to be years ago.

"Oh, nothing! Just girl stuff." Marinette blurted out without thinking. Alya immediately shot her a glare.

"Didn't really sound like a usual type of girl stuff to me." Nino continued, raising up one eyebrow with humor.

 _Idiot, of course they heard what Alya said! They literally sit right in front of us!_ Marinette cursed to herself, however a familiar voice disrupted her train of thought.

"Is something wrong, Marinette?" Adrien asked in a gentle tone, just like he usually would when he was worried about someone.

Marinette felt her cheeks turn redder, as she looked back at him. His green eyes held worry in them, he looked genuinely concerned. Marinette felt bad for worrying him, but at the same time, she felt kind of flattered that he cared about her well-being so much. They might have never been anything more than good friends, but Adrien has always cared about her. He was always willing to be there for her, to help her with anything she needed, or just to listen to whatever bothered her at the time. But it was not just that - he was also willing to spend his free time with her! Marinette is proud to say that when it came to stuttering and being an awkward mess around him, she made a progress. It was probably mostly because she just got used to seeing him, talking with him and spending time with him almost everyday. They sometimes have friendly hangouts together with Alya and Nino, and those times had always been a lot of fun. Jokes, pranks, all that! It's just that Alya and Nino are a couple, actually for almost 3 years now, so sometimes she and Adrien are kinda left out or they get into an 'awkward' situation, being the third and the fourth wheel, but Marinette just finds those moments funny. Plus, she is happy for Alya and Nino and for how well their relationship goes. Basically...when she hangs out with Adrien as a friend, she sometimes even forgets about her crush on him. They definitely grew closer through the years, mostly because Marinette got over the 'ultimate-awkwardness-and-not-being-able-to-speak-to-him-normally' thing, but also because they got to spend more time together, meaning they got to know each other better. And right now, here he was, asking her if something was wrong like the caring person he is.

Oh, how she wanted to be completely honest with him. Their friendship has never been based on lies... But sadly, she has to lie about her superhero life and troubles, even if she doesn't want to. Her identity _has_ to stay a secret... The only other person she can talk to about this is Chat, cause he's going through the same thing, they're on the same wave. But not with anyone else... In moments like these, sometimes she just wishes it was all over already and she didn't have to be dishonest with her friends... Well, at least she could still tell him a partial truth.

"Um... Thank you for worrying about me Adrien, but really, it's not necessary. I guess it's just the lack of sleep that got to me... I'll be fine." Marinette sighed and reached for her backpack.

"Y'know, you shouldn't overwork yourself so much." Nino added. Alya just watched with suspicion in her eyes, while resting her chin on her palm.

"Yeah, agreed." Adrien breathed.

That's when Alya suddenly stood up, grabbing Marinette by her arm. "Sorry guys, but Mari and I had an agreement that we would hang out at her place after school, we've got a lot of things to talk about, girls only, right Marinette?" Alya said with a chuckle and pulled surprised Marinette along, giving her another glare.

"Uhh- um... Ye-yeahhh!" Marinette decided to play along, chuckling nervously once more, as Alya dragged her towards the door. She didn't know how she got into this situation in the first place, nor was exactly happy with how overdramaticly Alya acted, but to be completely honest, she wasn't feeling like staying either. So she didn't really have a problem with being dragged out of the classroom by her BFF, away from the two visibly confused boys.

"Okay...?" Adrien breathed out, his gaze never leaving the two.

Just before they were out of his sight, Alya called back at them. "See you later, dudes!" And with that, they were gone.

Adrien and Nino looked at each other, exchanging confused looks.

"Women." Nino simply said and shrugged, returning his focus to his backpack. Adrien snorted at Nino's statement, a crooked smile appearing on his face. After that, he sighed and went back to packing up his own things.

He couldn't help but to wonder. _Was Marinette really okay? Was the lack of sleep really the reason or was it just an excuse?..._ He clearly heard Alya ask her if something was wrong. And it wasn't just her who noticed something off about Marinette, even he did. He tried to figure out what it was, but couldn't really put his finger on it. She looked like something was definitely on her mind, but what?... Was it something that bothered her?... Some kind of problem, possibly? Something she didn't tell them for some reason?... He wasn't sure. Should he maybe try to visit her as Chat Noir later and try to talk to her? If there was really something wrong, he wanted to help her as much as he could. She is one of his best friends after all...and he cares about her.

Actually, now when he thought about it...it's been quite some time since he lastly visited his dark-haired classmate as Chat. His visits were nothing regular, but when he did came to see her, he would always stop by before or after the patrols. They would always talk for a bit - he would tell her about his superhero adventures and she would tell him about her hobbies, school and her life as the baker's daughter. Sometimes she would even give him sweet pastries from the bakery...and how could he say no to that?

...Okay, but seriously now. Maybe he should really go and check on her. If there was something on her mind that bothered her and she didn't tell them, then he was going to find out. He would say that Marinette has developed trust towards his superhero persona, she is opened with him most of the time. The same thing goes for him of course. So hopefully she would be honest with him in case something was afflicting her... And even if the lack of sleep was really all it was, there was no harm in showing up after all those days. He likes to spend time with her, so...why not?...

 _Yeah, that settles it. I'm going to visit her tonight..._ Adrien smiled to himself, as he finally exited the classroom together with Nino.

"So, are you finally going to tell me what's going on?" Alya said urgently, while walking next to Marinette, just as they were about to exit the school building together. She crossed her arms impatiently, awaiting Marinette's answer. That forced Marinette to stop.

"*sigh* Alya, you've already heard the truth. I appreciate that you're worried about me, but..." Marinette breathed, looking down for a second. Alya butted in before she could finish the sentence.

"Well duh, of course I am worried! It's not the first time I'm seeing you like this and I'm counting this week only!... Mari, I am serious. I will ask you one last time. Are you sure there's nothing more to it? Something you'd perhaps want to talk about?" Alya spoke in a serious tone. Marinette didn't take long to respond.

"Yeah... It's not a big deal... I'm just a bit tired and I had some thoughts, that's all. It's nothing you can help me with... But really, I am okay." She breathed.

Alya stared at her for a moment without saying a word. She opened her mouth to protest again, but closed it before any words left her mouth. She sighed heavily, shaking her head slightly, as she put her index finger and thumb on the root of her nose between her closed eyes. A slight smile appeared on her lips as she did so. "Oh, Marinette. You will seriously make me go nuts one day. I am going to believe you, but if there's something you're not telling me-"

"Alya." Marinette interrupted her. Alya chuckled and put her arm around Marinette, gripping her shoulder and pulling her closer.

"Okay, okay. Just remember that I'm always here for you, 'kay?" The brunette said. Marinette smiled at her.

"Yeah, I know. Thanks for that, Alya..." She breathed out and hugged her, Alya returning her the gesture. "By the way, is our hangout still on?" Marinette asked happily after they pulled apart.

"You betcha!" Alya nudged into Marinette's shoulder with her fist a bit, causing them both to chuckle.

And that's how they made their way towards the well-known bakery, Alya starting a new conversation about her plans for the weekend and the Ladyblog. After a minute, she reached for her phone with an enthusiastic expression.

"God, I can't believe I almost forgot again to show you those! Someone took photos of Chat Noir probably a few days ago and sent them to me yesterday evening, claiming that I should post them! What do you think? He looks kinda lost in thoughts, doesn't he?" Alya blurted out and handed her the phone, so that she could look at the photos herself.

 _How in the world did this conversation end up to be about that cat again?..._ Marinette thought. Nope, he was just not going to leave her mind. Apparently not even for a single day. She mentally groaned and inspected the photos in Alya's phone closely. The quality of the shots was surprisingly good, but since they were taken at night they were pretty dark. Nevertheless, you could clearly see Chat Noir on top of a roof with his arms crossed, as he was leaning back onto a chimney and with a thoughtful look he was just simply staring down into the street. On the first photo it wasn't visible where exactly he was glaring, but on the second one it seemed like he was observing a restaurant below. Marinette didn't find it weird or uncommon in any way, her partner just probably took a moment to rest and someone saw him, so they didn't miss an opportunity and took a few pics.

"Yeah... Wonder what he is thinking about..." Marinette said, pretending to be pensive, and was about to return Alya her phone, but she refused to take it back yet.

"Right? Wait, there's still more! Take a look at this one. He was actually at the restaurant! And he's talking to someone! Wonder what happened there..." Alya breathed and frowned thoughtfully, before smiling brightly once again. Her passion for journalism has never faded. She always wanted to know about everything that was happening in Paris and the world, especially when it came to superheroes. Yes, she was still sometimes a superhero herself - Rena Rouge, but she has never stopped being a fan. And everytime something like this got into her hands, she always needed to get as much deets as possible. So of course she was curious about what was Chat Noir up to that night.

And to be honest, Marinette also became kinda curious, as she inspected the last photo, which showed Chat talking to two people in front of the restaurant. It had to be taken sometime before one of their patrols, because most restaurants are already closed later at night. Clearly Chat was out earlier than needed again that day, which...wasn't anything unusual for him, honestly. Marinette knows that Chat enjoys being Chat Noir. To her, being a superheroine is a duty, to him it's almost more like a hobby. It's not like he's not taking their job seriously though, it's just that he simply has more enjoyment in being a hero. For him, it's like an escape from his civilian life. And Marinette knows that he just wouldn't miss a single opportunity to be Chat Noir and roam the city if he could. He told her that it's always the first thing he wants to do once he has some free time. To just go out, run across the rooftops, relax and watch the view, feel the freedom... Yeah. Basically all that and much more. And Marinette understands that. She might not have the urge to be Ladybug everytime she had the chance, but she surely knows how great all that feels. So...she can't blame him. After all, Chat is a free soul and just like anyone, he is allowed to enjoy whatever he wants whenever he wants. And this is just the way he is.

 _That stray cat..._ Marinette thought to herself, fighting the urge to let out a chuckle at the accuracy. He was probably just helping the two strangers with something. Yeah, that seems like something he would do. And then a thought crossed her mind. _Wait a sec... Wasn't he late for the patrol on Monday, his excuse being that he met someone who needed his help?... This probably explains it! He never actually told me what really happened... Guess I have an idea now._ She wondered.

It warmed her heart, seeing Chat willingly help people like that, completely on his own accord and not just because it was his job as a hero. Also that it was something that didn't need to be proved to her by photos or anything else, _because she already knew that that was the kind of person he was_.

"It looks like he's just helping those two with something. But yeah, those are some nice photos! I'm sure Chat Noir would like himself on them." Marinette giggled and returned Alya her phone.

"Isn't that the case with like...every single photo of him?"

"I guess that's true." Marinette sniggered together with Alya, as they continued on walking.

"Okay, but like damn, I don't know how is he doing that, but you have to admit that he just looks good everytime, even on the fricking blurry pictures taken during an akuma fight! Almost as if he was a goddamn model or something." Alya added.

Marinette couldn't help but to laugh again at her statement. "Pffft, sure. And I am the chinese goddess of laughter. And I thought you had a boyfriend, Alya." She nudged playfully into the brunette with her elbow.

"Oh shut it. If anyone around here is crushing on Chat Noir, it's _you_ girl." Alya smirked at her and lifted her glasses momentarily, both of them stopping in front of the bakery.

Marinette's cheeks turned pink and her eyes widened. She blinked a few times before choking on her own spit. It took her a few solid seconds to collect herself. "What? Me? No way! You _do_ realize that this is Chat Noir we're talking about, right?" She laughed awkwardly.

Alya just proceeded to tease her with the same smirk in response, eventually folding her arms. "Whatever you say, girl." She shrugged, yet her expression stayed the same. Marinette let out a groan, to which Alya reacted with another laugh. "Oh come on, I'm just messing with you." She said, while they both finally went inside through the front doors.

A few hours passed and Alya eventually left to go home. They had fun - they talked a lot of course, they also watched a movie together and after a long persuasion, Alya helped Marinette with some schoolwork, because she was behind it due to...well, you know why. And although Marinette didn't want to bother Alya with it at first, she couldn't say she wasn't grateful for her help. She is very lucky to have a friend like Alya... Sometimes she just doesn't know what she would do without her...

It was now 19:30, the sun was already starting to set in Paris. Marinette decided to clean her room for a bit, because let's be honest, it was a mess. Especially at the end of the workweek. Papers and clothing _everywhere_. And so Tikki helped her to arrange everything and put it back in the right place. Once that was done, she stepped out onto her balcony to water the flowers. What she didn't expect however, was for _one certain cat_ to show up...


	11. An evening visit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chat Noir pays Marinette a visit to make sure she's alright. And well...his appearance catches her a bit off guard. A lot of things enter her mind... But wait - what is she doing?!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some Marichat stuff for yall!  
> Hope you enjoy~

"Eat up Plagg, we're going for an evening visit." Adrien said with a crooked smile, taking out a slice of camembert and throwing it Plagg's way, who catched it as easily as if he has been trained his entire existence to do that.

Adrien sat down on his white couch, waiting for him to finish his snack. However, Plagg, instead of devouring the cheese just like he always does, shot him a puzzled glare. Still holding the camembert in his tiny paws, he let out a groan.

"Don't tell me we're visiting that classmate of yours again." He complained.

Adrien put his both hands behind his head, leaning back into the couch with a smuggy smirk and closed eyes. "Yup." He breathed.

Plagg groaned once again, finally biting into the cheese. Adrien chuckled in response. "It'll just be for a while, cat's honor." He said, focusing his gaze at his kwami.

"Yeah, yeah. The last time you said that you fell asleep on her balcony." Plagg replied.

Adrien's brows shot up. "Hey, that- That happened only once and I was tired that day, how was I supposed to-" He blurted out in defence, Plagg interrupting him.

"Whatever loverboy, just do yourself a favor and transform already." Plagg finished his camembert, floating beside him. Adrien opened his mouth to say something, but a sigh was the only thing that eventually came out of his throat. He checked his phone for a last time and then, without a hint of an effort, stood up.

"Plagg, claws out!" He exclaimed and soon he was surrounded by the all-too-familiar green light, feeling the black leather cover him from his shoulders all the way down to his toes. In a second, he was standing in his room as the superhero Chat Noir.

He looked around his room before making his way towards his opened window. With agility his powers gave him, he grabbed his baton and jumped out into the street, landing on the opposite roof. Marinette's house wasn't that far away from his, actually only a few blocks, but that didn't mean he wasn't going to enjoy the way there. He just loved the thudding sound that came everytime his feet made impact with the sheet metal and the roof-tiled rooftops. Or the way the wind flew through his hair, stroking his face from every side. Overall the feeling of free movement, of all his muscles working in his body at once. Sometimes he felt like if he closed his eyes, he could just run like that forever. Run away from all the worries and problems, leaving his old life behind... _Just run and be free_. That's what he loved about it the most. _The feeling of freedom_.

Chat breathed in the exhilarating evening air, as he continued to vault over the roofs. The sun was just about to set. It painted the sky in beautiful orangish warm colors... Needless to say, watching a sunset like that would probably put anyone at ease. Before he knew it, he was just a few houses away from Marinette's. He realized so once he caught the sight of her on her balcony. Was it because of his cat-vision, or was there something about her that just stood out to him in a way, and that's why he noticed her so easily from afar?... Probably both, but he wasn't going to wonder about that. After all, he was there for a reason. He was going to find out if something was bothering her, and if so, he was willing to help. But of course it wouldn't be like him if he didn't decide to 'surprise' her a bit first. She hasn't seen him in days, maybe even weeks, so how could he miss an opportunity like that?...

A smirk appeared on his face, as he sneaked onto the bakery's roof. He found himself a good spot, which gave him a possibility to easily hide if needed. He peeked over the edge and watched Marinette for a moment. At first he wasn't going to, it made him feel like a bit of an creep, but he ended up doing so anyway. She was innocently humming some kind of tune, while watering the flowers with a small pot. She seemed like she had no idea about his presence, which made him feel pleased with himself. _Oh, he was going to enjoy this_.

  
He waited for the perfect moment and then - _splash!_ ...And a shriek. He expected a lot of things, but what he did not was for Marinette to turn around and spray him with the water. Just when he was behind her. _Okay, maybe this wasn't such a great idea after all..._

"Princess, you know that cats hate water!" He blurted out sarcastically, looking over the wet stain on his chest. Although most of it got into his hair...

Marinette inspected him shortly with startled eyes before opening her mouth to speak. She put her hand onto her chest in an attempt to calm down. "God! Chat, you scared the hell out of me! You just can't at least once show up like a normal person, can you?" She said, putting her fingers on the root of her nose.

Chat chuckled at her statement. "Nope. And yeah, sorry about that. I didn't mean this to happen..." He scratched the back of his neck, shrugging. Marinette glanced at him again.

"Oh, I'm sure you didn't." She breathed, a small snigger escaping her lips, as she crossed her arms. After a few seconds, she sighed. "Wait here. I'll bring you a towel or something..." She said and headed towards the glazed trapdoor that led into her room, leaving Chat behind.

"Okay..." He managed to breathe out before she left, his gaze glued on her.

Once she was out of his sight, he let out a sigh. He walked towards the balcony railing, leaning back against it. Fortunately for him, it wasn't cold outside, not even windy. Though he was sure Marinette would invite him inside if otherwise. The last thing he needed was to catch a cold... But hey, he couldn't blame Marinette for dipping him. After all, it was his own fault. He's sure they will both laugh about it later... Because yeah, admittedly enough, it was pretty funny. He wiped some of the remaining water off of his suit and then lifted his head up again to look around the city. He watched the life below for a minute, until he heard the trapdoor opening, which forced him to turn around. 

Marinette stepped onto the balcony with a light grey towel in her hand. She was still wondering why did Chat decide to visit her today of all days... It's not like she wasn't in a mood to see him, she was glad that he came! It was just that she didn't expect it. It's been quite some time since he lastly visited her... And well...this was the first time she saw him as Marinette since... _that evening on the Eiffel tower_. She might have been Ladybug then, but that didn't change anything. And even though she tried to forget about it, the memory was still fresh in her head, as if it happened yesterday.

 _Come on Mari, don't think about that now. We're long past that..._ She reassured herself. She needed to carry that towel to Chat now, that was what she should be focused at. He was all wet because of her, well, _actually_ \- because of himself. What was he thinking, sneaking up on her like that? Obviously she was going to get freaked out. And with a pot full of water in her hand, what was he expecting to happen?...

Marinette was almost sure that had to be the last ridiculous thing to happen to her today, but _of course_ she was proved wrong again by nothing else but her own clumsiness and inattention. Before she knew it, her foot tripped over something and that immediately sent her flying towards the ground with a yelp she managed to let out. She shut her eyes and prepared herself for the fall, but...it never came. Instead, she ended up in someone's arms.

"Whoa there, you okay?" The voice spoke from above with a hint of worry.

Chat obviously catched her before she could hit the ground - what a relief. Seems like she wasn't going to break every bone in her body after all. No, not today!

She opened her eyes and stared at her palms, which were in front of her face. That's when she noticed where she had them placed. They were both in the middle of Chat's chest, a little below his golden bell. The next thing she realized was that Chat's gloved hands were resting on her waist. _Partly bare waist_. Her T-shirt must've rolled up a little... She felt herself shiver. _Was it because she was cold, though_... _?_

...Her thoughts then shifted from her waist to her own palms again. She could feel the leather-like texture of his suit with her fingertips, the roughness of his broad chest, which slowly rose and fell with every breath he took, but also his heart beating... Without thinking, her fingers slowly traveled over his zipper, one of her hands gently following the trace and sliding a bit lower...

She heard Chat's breath hitch in his throat after a short gasp escaped his mouth, but that didn't stop her doings. It was as if she was in some kind of trance, as if her hands moved on their own accord. Her right hand kept sliding lower and lower towards his belt, until she could feel his muscled abdomen under her touch. Her mouth parted slightly, while her palms tenderly explored parts of him she has never really touched before. She could feel his abs, his V-line starting at the edge of his hips and going all the way down to...

"M-Marinette...?" Chat stuttered out in a bit of an flustered manner. That coaxed her to finally look up at him.

His glowingly green eyes were staring down at her, his mouth also ajar. She saw his Adam's apple bob slowly with his another gulp, which made her focus her attention onto his neck. One of the few parts of his body that was actually partly _exposed_. His scent emirating from there was the strongest... She has never thought about his scent up until now. It was subtle and...nice, yet intoxicating in a way... It felt like a common male odor, but at the same time, it was somehow special, original... And also _familiar_.

She didn't know what to make out of his facial expression. He looked flustered, but also surprised and confused. His brows were up, his eyelids were relaxed, his cheeks slightly reddish, his lips...his lips looked so...so... _kissable_. So...soft. What would they feel like on hers?... How would it feel like...to kiss him again...? Would it be like the last time, or different?... Would he like it, just like he did with her as Ladybug?... All those questions ran through Marinette's head. Without realizing it, she leaned in closer towards his face. His surprised eyes watched her every move, until their gazes clashed. They stared at each other for a moment, when suddenly... Chat let go of her waist and took a small step back, which was enough to put some space between them. The lack of warmth on her bare skin and under her touch made Marinette snap out of her daze. That's when she realized what she has done. Her eyes widened and her cheeks turned crimson red.

 _Sweet Jesus, what did I just do?!_ She mentally started to freak out. Why did she do that?! What was she thinking?! She can't just go and touch him and sniff him like that, goddamnit! And was she really thinking about kissing him?! _What?!_

"Oh my god, Chat, I'm so sorry I don't know what came over me I-" She blurted out, hiding her face in her palms, also making a step backwards. She just couldn't look at him. And she didn't want to hear his reaction, either. She felt like she was going to die out of pure embarrassment. Ideally run away and hide under something, that was everything she wanted to do in the moment.

After a few seconds of silence, she heard Chat clear his throat awkwardly. _Oh no..._ She thought to herself. This must've been embarrassing for both of them, right?...

"Well...that's a one way of falling for someone... If you wanted to go on a date with me, you could've just asked, _Purrincess_." 

_Oh, he did NOT just-_ She thought and finally found the courage to look at him. Of course he had _that stupid smile of his_ on his face. Out of sudden, all the embarrassment she felt disappeared and got replaced by more fluster and irritation.

"Shut up you stupid cat, that- that didn't mean anything!" She blurted out, her cheeks still pink, and reached for the towel she had dropped on the ground, throwing it on his face. "Here you have it! You can thank me later."

Chat let out a chuckle with the towel on his head, reaching with his hand in order to grab it as she walked past him. "Meow-ch, rejection hurts." He breathed out with humor and started drying his hair with the towel.

Marinette turned around and shot him an annoyed glare. But soon her eyebrows rose and her lips curled into a teasing smile. "Is that so?... I thought you were in love with Ladybug." She teased. Yet apparently that didn't discombobulate him at all.

"Maybe I am...? Haha relax, I was just joking." He laughed. "Although I have to say I wouldn't mind to go out with you... I mean, any guy who isn't blind shouldn't." He told her honestly.

Hearing him compliment her like that surprised her. She paused for a while, thinking about her response. "Um...I...thanks, that's...really nice of you to say..." She said and couldn't help but to blush a little bit. _If only Adrien thought the same..._ She thought, while putting the strand of her hair behind her ear with her fingers.

"No problem. I'm just telling the truth." Chat replied and placed the towel over the railing, leaning back against it with his elbows once more. Marinette did the same next to him, smiling. That quickly turned into chuckles.

"Pfff, your hair is a total mess now." She pointed at the top of his head with her finger, causing him to follow the direction and look up. He raised one hand and tried to smarten it up somehow with the most focused expression you can possibly imagine, but Marinette stopped him by taking his wrist into her hand. "Wait, let me do it." She scooted a little closer to him and with the help of her both hands she started styling his hair back to it's usual form. Chat patiently observed her the whole time.

"Okay...much better." She giggled and pulled away again once she was done.

"Thanks..." Chat breathed out, also chuckling. Then they stayed quiet for a minute, either of them not saying a word. Until Marinette decided to break the silence with a question that's been on her mind since he showed up on her balcony.

"Um... And why are you here, anyway?" She asked.

Chat glanced at her. "What? Can't a knight visit his Princess from time to time?" He purred. Marinette rolled her eyes with an ironic smile at his reply.

"Yeah, maybe in fairytales. Seriously though. Are you saying that you came today only because you just felt like it?" She sniggered a little in disbelief and raised her one brow inquiringly.

"Well...yeah. I had time, so I thought I'd check up on you and _purrhaps_ _chat_ for a bit." He punned. "Hey... Why don't you just tell me what's going on inside that head of yours?" He asked once he remembered his today's evening goal. Although after what happened between them just a few minutes ago made him even more curious. Maybe it had something to do with how she acted at school this morning, too. He _had_ to know.

Marinette turned her head and looked at him with wide eyes, seemingly dumbfounded. "Uh, um... It's rather nothing, really... Why do you ask?" She breathed.

Chat gave her a dubious look. "I was just wondering if...you know, you didn't want to...maybe talk about something?... You can trust me, Marinette. If there's something bothering you, you can always tell m-" He said, getting interrupted before he could finish.

"Bothering me? No! There's nothing bothering me, Chat. And I _do_ trust you!... I don't know how you came to such a conclusion, but I'm fine, really." She blurted out, trying her best to sound reassuring and convincing. Chat was the third person today who has asked her if something was wrong. Firstly Alya, then Adrien and now Chat...? But how in the world did _he_ come to that conclusion? Alya and Adrien asked her because she didn't quite act herself at school owing to some thoughts she had, but Chat didn't see her like that. Or at least she thinks that she hasn't behaved strangely in front of him in any way, well...maybe except that part when she fell... But still. Or could he just read her so easily? Did she wear her emotions on her sleeve? Was he just able to tell...? She didn't know.

"Oh, well... Okay then. If that's the case... I just wanted to make sure everything's alright." He continued, eventually giving her a smile. He wasn't sure if he should just take that as the final answer, but decided to believe her. Leastwise he knew that it couldn't be anything serious... She would tell him if that was the case, right?... What surprised him however, was when he heard Marinette giggle.

"What's so funny?" He asked, a bit of an confusion could be heard in his voice. But once he saw her smile, his expression mirrored hers as if it was the most natural thing.

"Nothing, it's just that you're actually the third person to ask me this today..." She crossed her arms loosely over the thin metal railing and watched the view as she spoke. Chat observed the wind lazily play with her hair, while the sun already disappeared behind the horizon, leaving the city and it's citizens in the darkness of the oncoming night. He smiled to himself and at the sight...

"I think that's a good thing... It means that you have people in your life you can count on... People who care about you and your happiness. Not everyone is that lucky..." He spoke soberly.

Marinette silently took in his words. "...Yeah, I guess you're right... Now when you said it like that, I indeed feel... _grateful_. For my friends and family. Sometimes I just feel like I'm not appreciating them enough, you know?..." She said sincerely and turned her head to look at him. He did the same.

"I think I know what you mean..." He sighed.

And at that moment, she just had the biggest urge to just hug him and tell him how grateful she is for having him as her superhero partner and friend. He always did so much for her, he was always there for her whenever she needed it. Whenever she was Ladybug _or_ Marinette. _He was always there, by her side_. And yet... How many times did she say 'thank you' to him for that?... How many times did she genuinely feel grateful for his presence and for everything he does for her...? She just wanted to appreciate _him as a person_ more... Why? _Because he deserved it_. 

  
Out of sudden, Chat's baton beeped. And so he reached for it with his hand to find out what was the matter. Marinette watched him quietly inspect the screen in his weapon for a few seconds before questioning him.

"Is something wrong...?" She asked, although she was almost certain she already knew the answer herself.

"No no, just a notice I should head out for my patrol..." He replied and jumped up onto the balcony railing, steadying himself with his hands between his feet.

"Not patrolling with Ladybug today?" Marinette decided to play 'dumb' for obvious 'secret-identity' reasons. Chat was supposed to patrol the city alone today, so she could take a little break, that's what they agreed on on their last joint patrol. Some other time they'd swap of course, so that it's fair...

Chat looked back at her over his shoulder. "Nope. Today I have a solo." He chuckled, stretched his arms and cracked his knuckles.

"I see. Good luck then." She smiled at him.

"And Chat...?" She breathed as he was about to leave.

"Yeah?"

"Thanks for always being there for me..."

"Of course. Whenever you need it, Princess. I will see you soon."

He returned her the smile and gave her a one last glance, before extending his baton and taking off. Marinette's gaze followed his receding figure, until he got lost between the city buildings, getting out of her sight.

  
Marinette realized something was seriously wrong with her, when instead of putting the towel to wash, she kept it on her chair in her room. Yes, indeed the same exact towel Chat had used earlier in order to dry himself. And it had a simple reason. Yep, you guessed it - _it was because it still held his scent_. The same exact scent she smelled when she got way closer to him than she should have just a few hours ago. She just couldn't stop thinking about that moment for the rest of the day. Since he left, it had literally been the only thing on her mind. And boy, did she freak out about it. Not only that she purposely touched him on all kinds of places, but she also seriously thought about _kissing_ him! Basically something she wouldn't even think of not even a month ago! And if Chat didn't pull away, she might have even done it!... Did that mean that... _Could that mean...?_...

Out of blue, she remembered the time when they didn't really talk to one another. A wave of guilt splashed over her once again... She still felt bad for what she did to him just a few days ago. Even though everything seemed to be as it has always been between them again, the memories were still there. Even though she tried her best to forget about it, she could still remember _every detail_. She could still remember _everything_ about their kiss... _How loving and passionate it was_. She could still remember _everything_ about them being so close to each other... _How it felt_. She had to ask herself again: _Why did I kiss him back that evening in the first place? Why did I let him get so close to me? Why did I...like it? Why do I feel warmth whenever I think about these specific moments...?_

She realized that she thought about them differently now. When she asked herself these questions that evening after she got home, her answer was that she didn't know. That it was all so sudden, that she was just touched by Chat's confession and couldn't think straight. That she didn't know what she was doing... That it was all a mistake, something that should have never happened. But now... She saw something she wasn't able to see before. Maybe she kissed him back because _she_ _wanted to_. Maybe she let him be so close to her because _she trusts him with her life and because she was comfortable with it_. Maybe the reason she feels warmth when she thinks about these moments is because _she really started to care for Chat on a deeper level_. Maybe...she truly sees him as something more than just her partner and her best friend... _A lot more_.

...There was no going back. It all made sense now. She never thought this day would come, but Marinette just couldn't deny it to herself any longer. Not with everything that has happened... It was clear. And it was true.

 _I... started falling for that cat..._ She finally admitted to herself. 


	12. Feelings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette is finally being honest with herself about her true feelings... Now all she needs to do is to be honest with him, too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy another fluffy chapter!

_What was that?..._

Marinette's eyes snapped open, meeting the midnight darkness of her own room. A sudden sound from above, probably coming from her balcony, woke her up. She tensed at first, but eventually looked up hesitantly, rubbing her eyes in a hope that her vision would become more clear. To her surprise, she was met with a pair of bright green orbs staring down at her, glowing in the dark. The heart in her chest started beating rapidly and her breath got stuck in her throat for a moment, as she realized who has been watching her.

"Ch-Chat?..." She breathed out quietly and slowly sat up in her bed, her gaze fixed on her not-so-mysterious, yet unexpected night visitor.

 _What is he doing here?..._ She thought and examined him for a few seconds. She wasn't sure why or how did this even cross her mind, but...something inside her wanted him to... _come inside_. The way he was looking at her was just so... _inviting_. It was as if she was being drawn to him in a way because of something she couldn't really explain... As if his look was calling her somehow.

Suddenly, without saying a single word, as though he could read her thoughts, Chat Noir carefully opened the glazed trapdoor and slipped inside, settling next to her. In an instant, she found herself lying wrapped in his strong arms.

"Hey..." He murmured softly, while his hand gently ran through her untied hair, his gloved fingers stroking her cheek.

His voice reaching her eardrums sent heat to her core... Butterflies in her stomach, she felt a light shiver go down her spine. She looked at his face, astounded, and once her eyes got locked with his again, which made her heart beat only faster, he gave her the most soothing smile in response. And at that moment, she felt _nothing_ but calm... She relaxed, as the pleasant warmth filled her entire body owing to the closeness of the person who meant so much to her. Happiness. That was all she felt, all she was going to feel... _Because he was there_. Up until now, she didn't know how much she has wanted to be this close to him... He was there with her, her partner, her Kitty, holding her close to him with his arms as if nothing else in the world mattered but them...

She snuggled up to him, before she closed her eyes with a content smile. Chat instinctively tightened his grip around her slightly, resting his chin on top of her head. She heard a small chuckle escape his lips, causing his chest to jolt a few times under her touch.

"There there... I'm here, and I will never leave you, okay?..." He whispered.

The last thing Marinette remembered before falling asleep was Chat's subtle scent filling her lungs, which was now all-too-familiar to her. Then...she woke up.

Once Marinette opened her eyes that morning, she found out that she was all tucked in bed with a...with the towel. _That_ towel. In her hands. Practically _nuzzling_ it with her face.

"Tikki."

No response.

"TIKKI!" Marinette cried out urgently. The little red kwami quickly flew from under Marinette's bed and looked at her chosen with a curious look.

"Yes, Marinette? Is something wrong?" Tikki asked.

"No, I mean- Yes. What is wrong with me, Tikki? I've had another dream about Chat, and then this thing-" Marinette blurted out, throwing the towel over her bed railing next to where Tikki floated, who barely managed to dodge to the side.

"Oh um, well... About your dream... That much I've figured. You were talking in your sleep, so..." Tikki trailed off.

The bluenette blinked at her a few times, before red blush appeared on her cheeks. "Aghhh... See? It keeps getting better and better!" She fell back onto her bed with her both hands on her forehead and her elbows in the air. Flustered, she eventually buried her face in her palms. Tikki watched her with an understanding look.

"I... I think I love him, Tikki." Marinette mumbled with a groan against her two palms. "I... I think I love Chat Noir..."

She has never thought that those words would ever leave her mouth, but here she was, saying them out loud. That cat has somehow found his way into her heart, there was no denying that. Very slowly, yet all of a sudden... But he did. And she has admitted that to herself only recently... Who would have thought? She, Ladybug, who has been brushing off his advances since the very start, rejecting him countless of times, has found him to be, in the end, the source of her own affections. Her goofy superhero partner with cat ears, who tends to make bad puns, the silliest person she has ever met... Was also this charming, caring, understanding, modest, supportive, selfless, honest, kind, respectful, but also humorous and outgoing person, who has been right next to her this entire time and she didn't notice. But now, she knew... Whoever the person behind the black mask was, she knew now that he's stolen her heart.

"But Adrien...." Marinette's thoughts couldn't help but to shift back to her blond classmate, who she has been crushing on for 3 years by now. This perfect, handsome boy that made her heart race whenever she was close to him. This boy she'd stutter and get embarrassed around, just the thought of him causing her 14 year old self to melt. This boy who has become one of her best friends through the time they have known each other, although she had always hoped for more... But now?... Was she in love with two people?... Her goal was to get over Adrien, because he's never returned her feelings, so she deduced that it was time for her to move on. It was time for her to find herself and focus more on her other life priorities for once. Still, their friendship means everything to her...and she never wants to lose it. Nevertheless, Adrien is someone who will probably always have a special place in her heart, no matter how hard she'd try to forget her love for him...

"Just follow your heart, Marinette. I'm sure you'll make the right decision." Tikki told her reassuringly and flew closer to her, giving her a smile. Marinette sat up again and sighed heavily, but still returned it in response.

"I hope so... But... How do I even tell him this...? I should tell him how I really feel, shouldn't I?..." She breathed.

"If you're really certain about your feelings and that's what you really want deep down...then yes, whenever you feel ready. But I can't give you more than an advice, they're _your_ feelings after all and this is all up to _you_." Tikki replied.

"Okay, I think I'll tell him the next time I see him... " Marinette said, putting the strand of her hair behind her ear.

"Are you sure that that's what you want, Mari?..."

"Yes. I wasn't sure before, but...now I am. Chat is the one I love. His feelings for me have always stayed the same and mine...are only growing stronger. _That evening_ on the Eiffel tower...something inside me had changed. It made me realize a lot of things... It made me realize that I've been blinded by my love for Adrien _so much_ , that I didn't even _care_ to notice the guy who has been truly by my side the whole time. The guy who has always deeply cared about me, supported me and stood by me in any situation, made me laugh when I felt down, gave me courage when I needed it... The guy who doesn't only love the superhero me, but also the real me. Chat has always been an amazing guy and I've always sorta felt _something_ for him... It just took me a while to realize it." She spoke genuinely. Tikki gave her another smile, she almost looked touched by Marinette's sincere words. In a matter of seconds, she was hugging the girl's cheek with her tiny hands.

"In that case, I can only support you." Tikki giggled, Marinette joining her.

"Thank you, Tikki..."

And so Marinette made up her mind. On the upcoming patrol, she was going to tell him. She had no idea how it'd go, what would be his reaction after such a long time he had been trying to get to her heart without success... Maybe he didn't even hope for her to ever love him back anymore. Maybe he has already given up on her... So...was this going to make him happy? Probably. Or...certainly, actually. But what's going to happen next?... What about their secret identities?... And most importantly, now when she returns his feelings, how will this all affect their teamwork as superheroes? Basically...how will this affect their _relationship?_ Are they going to start dating now?... What if Hawkmoth would find out and use it against them somehow? Was it even safe?... Was it even possible?... She had to believe. They were going to find a way through this together, just like they always did through any problem. She didn't know how it was all going to go, nor wasn't yet sure how exactly she would tell him, just that she needed to. She just couldn't lie to him or herself any longer. Even without ever learning his real name... It didn't matter. _She loved him - that was all that mattered_.

Saturday evening, the sun almost behind the horizon, Ladybug, the spotted superheroine of Paris, swung herself between the buildings and through the city streets with a one simple goal in her head - tell Chat Noir her feelings. Was she excited?... Well, yes! Was she nervous?... A little bit. Probably for the first time ever - she was going to meet Chat with this feeling of nervousness, with this feeling of butterflies fluttering in her stomach. She could feel her heart beat faster again, so she took a deep breath.

 _It's gonna be fine. No need to be nervous. It's just Chat._ She told herself. Yes, it was just Chat. The guy she has known for years... So why did she feel as if she was going to talk to him for a first time?... Why did she feel like she was going on some kind of a 'first date'?... Everything just felt so _different_ now.

She gave a start, when the yoyo in her hand suddenly started to ring. _He was calling her_. After she almost proceeded to drop the thing on the ground, she stopped at one of the roofs and pressed the button to answer the call. Before she knew it, she was met with Chat's familiar grin on the screen.

"Long time no see, M'lady. Whatcha up to?" He asked. Ladybug stared at him for a few seconds, as if she had lost the ability to speak, which didn't go unnoticed.

"I..." She began, but was interrupted by Chat, whose face leaned closer to the screen for a moment.

"Do I look _that_ good? Or is something on my face?" He said thoughtfully and wiped his cheek with his hand, examining it afterwards.

"Um, that's not- ...*sigh* Sorry, I might have just spaced out for a moment there."

"Haha no worries, I was just teasin'." He laughed. "Anyway... I've roamed the city for a while now and I've come across something cool. Why won't you join me and find out?" He continued, giving her a wink.

Ladybug couldn't help but to snigger a little. "Should I be afraid?"

Chat chuckled at her statement. "No, not at all. I think you might like it, actually." He reassured her.

"Oh?... Okay, I'll be there in a few minutes then." She smiled at him.

"Great!" He breathed out enthusiastically.

He seemed to be in a pretty good mood because of... whatever that was he was hiding. _What could he be talking about?..._ She wondered. She would lie if she said she didn't become curious. After hanging up, it took her a few clicks to establish Chat's position, which was marked by a green pawprint on the map in her yoyo, thanks to the tracking system. And then, full of anticipation, she headed towards the destination.

As she was getting closer, she realized what was up. Even from far enough, she could hear loud music and singing echo through the air. Was it...a live concert?... Well, it would make sense, it was a Saturday evening after all. She actually hasn't been to one for quite some time now, so this was...a nice surprise. She loved to go to concerts with her friends, but until now, she has never been to or watched one with Chat as her company. It was new, though definitely not something she wouldn't look forward to.

It didn't take long for her to spot Chat Noir sitting on one of the rooftops, patiently awaiting her, while watching the action below. She landed with ease a few steps behind him, although if her landing has caused any sort of sound, it faded in with the music. She smiled to herself as she slowly approached him. She stopped when she was standing right at him, leaning over him with her hands behind her back.

"So...a live concert, huh?" She breathed. Chat immediately turned his head to look at her after he registered her presence.

"Oh- Hey. Yeah... Are you surprised?" He purred, his lips curled into a slight smirk. Ladybug sat down beside him.

"Kinda. I didn't know someone like you could be interested in something like music." She giggled.

"There are a lot of things you still don't know about me, M'lady." Chat replied with humor and shrugged, elated.

"No doubt." Ladybug let out another chuckle, eventually turning her head towards the source of the singing below them. There were so many people, too! And all those light effects...what a sight!... She let the breeze play with her hair, as she sighed happily, wrapping her hands around her knees.

"Wow, it's... This is awesome, Chat..." She breathed out honestly.

Chat glanced at her, and although his eyes didn't meet hers, he still smiled. "Yeah, I'm...glad you think so..."

And so they watched and listened to the concert together, which was now in a full swing, meanwhile the night sky already hovered over the city. They talked and laughed a lot... They even joined the cheering of the citizens! Until a few minutes long break came. Then, Ladybug's thoughts wandered elsewhere...

"Hawkmoth seems to be taking a break, too..." She was having fun, she really was, however the literal 'lack' of akuma attacks has been worrying her lately. It's been almost a week now! That was becoming unusual, even for Hawkmoth. To be honest, she felt kinda bad for bringing it up, she didn't want to ruin the atmosphere. But at the same time, it was still something they both needed to be aware of, something they needed to take responsibly. Even if they're normal people under the masks, who sometimes just want to have fun like anybody else, they are still Ladybug and Chat Noir, focusing on Hawkmoth and his plans should be their priority. Together with protecting and saving people, of course...

Chat noticed the uneasiness in Ladybug's eyes. "Maybe he's given up...?" He wondered out loud.

Ladybug sighed. "I wouldn't be so sure about that, Kitty... It might be the opposite."

"You think he's planning something?" He asked.

"That's just it..."

Ladybug rested her chin on top of her knees, pulling them closer to her chest, her gaze glued on the ground. Chat quietly observed her for a minute without saying a word, whilst he let his cat ears drop slightly. He wasn't happy to see his Lady worried, he never was. Especially now, when they were supposed to be enjoying themselves. His heart sank a little because of it. He also couldn't help but to feel a bit sorrow... He wanted to make her feel better somehow...

"Hey... I understand that this is worrying you, I'm not too sure about all of this either, but listen... You shouldn't let it burden you so much. It's not like we can do anything about it now anyway. And even if he _really_ was planning something, then whatever our old butterfly man might have in store for us, we can deal with it. I know we can." He spoke, trying to sound as strong-minded and reassuring as possible.

By the time Ladybug had lifted her head again to look at him, the next song began. At that moment, Chat was struck with an idea. It was something he has always wanted to do, but never got the chance or the right opportunity. He wanted to see his Lady smile again. He wanted to cheer her up the best he could. Now, the song, the atmosphere, the place, _everything_... It was perfect.

"...Oh, look! They've started another song!" He added in order to change the topic. Ladybug firstly glanced down at the singers and the musicians, only to turn her gaze back at Chat again a second later, since she heard him stand up abruptly. Her confused expression soon turned into an astonished one. With his forearm behind his back, Chat leaned down, offering her his right hand as he uttered the words in the most gentle, gracious tone. "May I have this dance, M'lady?"

She looked at him with big eyes; she could hear her own heart beat inside of her chest, it was fast - and with each quiet passing second, it got only faster. But it wasn't _that_ type of feeling... It was a good type of feeling. It was something similiar to a sudden excitment, combined with this warm feeling, which filled her and coaxed an amorous smile crop up on her face. She was astounded, but in a good way.

She placed her hand onto his, allowing him to help her stand up. Chat then gently grasped her other hand. Still holding it, he let her do one turn under his arm, putting his own hand on her waist. Face-to-face again, they smiled at each other, as Ladybug placed her palm on Chat's shoulder. At first Chat led her with his movements, but soon she found herself getting lost in the moment. Before they even realized it, they both got so immersed in the dancing, enjoying every second, that you could say they've completely lost the track of time, together with the awareness of the happenings around. They danced and danced as if the world around them didn't matter, the music in the background mingling with their laughs, meanwhile the stars and the moon above them shone with all their glory.

One time they got close to one another, the other they pulled away from each other, while their fingers were intertwined in a not-ending hold. Chat pulled Ladybug close to him, then, gripping her waist with his both hands, he lifted her up momentarily, and last but not least, he let her bend back over his one forearm. Ladybug held him by his neck, as she raised her one leg into the air in joy. Their faces close, they exchanged toothy grins, before Chat helped Ladybug straighten up and onto her feet anew. It went like that on and on, neither of them wanting it to come to an end. And although they both wished it could last forever, after a couple of minutes, the song was nearly over. The exact second the song had finished, Chat brought the end to the dance by pulling Ladybug against him. Now, their bodies pressed together and their hands still in a tight grip, they allowed themselves to catch their breaths, as their eyes met once again.

"I didn't know you were such a great dancer." Ladybug giggled.

"Hmm... You think?" Chat hummed. "Did I make your heart race, M'lady?~" He suddenly asked in a flirtatious way and leaned down closer to her face, while his both hands slowly found their way back onto Ladybug's waist.

Ladybug felt slight blush color her cheeks. They were now so close to each other, so close that their chests were touching. So close that she could sense his every breath, his scent,... Everything about him. The closeness... It was almost making her eager. _Oh, he was going to be the death of her someday_.

She fixed her gaze at his lips and just like the last time, she thought of kissing them. It was kinda funny, because the situation they were in was almost the same as the one on her balcony yesterday, only this time she wasn't Marinette. Only that this time... _she was certain about her true feelings_. She knew what she wanted to do, what her inner desire was. She didn't even need to think about it too much, it all just came naturally, faster than she herself could've predicted. That's how her hands gently, little by little, moved behind Chat's neck, pulling him in with such eagerness she didn't know she could express. His bright green eyes widened in surprise and utter shock immediately.

"More than you think, Chaton." She whispered as her final answer, before pressing her lips onto his.


	13. The right moment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ladybug finally tells Chat Noir her true feelings. Now, on the top of this rooftop, nothing else matters but her and him. It's their moment to finally show one another how much love they truly hold for each other...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again! Sorry for such a long pause, unfortunately, I don't really have that much time to write because of school. I want to finish this story however, so you can expect more chapters coming, even if it will take me more time to post one. Thanks for understanding, as well as for reading! 
> 
> (!Warning - this chapter contains sin!)

_What?_ Ladybug was _kissing_ him?! Chat was shocked. He might have acted a bit flirtatious, but this wasn't what he expected her to do. Like, at all. Sure, a part of him had always wished for her to kiss him, though he knew that it probably wouldn't happen, so...this honestly cought him off guard. _Why?..._ He wondered. She wasn't in love with him, or was she?... What did she mean by 'More than you think'?...

His thoughts were spinning. His heart was beating emorously. He would get the answers later. Ladybug has initiated a kiss between them - this moment was everything he could focus at. And so eventually, he closed his eyes and kissed her back, cupping the back of her neck with his one hand, while her hands remained on the back of his head, her fingers tangled into his hair. At first, their kiss was similiar to the one on the Eiffel tower - warm, tender... But what started as the two lips gently brushing against each other, soon became passionate, eager, deep kissing. It was hot... _Since when did it become this hot outside?..._

Chat couldn't help but to let out a small moan into Ladybug's mouth. He let the palm he rested on her waist slide to her back, then lower...all the way down onto her butt. He swore he felt her breath get stuck in her throat for a second, as she almost inaudibly squeaked. That coaxed him to smile against her lips.

Ladybug ended the kiss by pulling on his lower lip slightly. Then, as slowly as you can even imagine, they broke apart. While they breathed heavily in order to catch their breaths, their faces red, they both finally realized what had just happened between them. Ladybug's eyes shifted away from his in a flustered manner, but after he placed his hand onto her cheek, putting a strand of her hair behind her ear gently, she looked up at him again.

"You...you kissed me... I...I don't understand...?" He breathed out, his voice low, still holding her close to him.

Ladybug took a deep breath. _This was the moment_.

"Chat, I...I need to tell you something..." She began, as her head dropped down a bit, her hands on his chest.

"Yes...?"

"I... _I love you_."

Chat's eyes widened, his brows up. Did he hear that right? Was this even real?...

"You... You love me?" He repeated in astonishment.

"Yes... After all this time, I've realized that my feelings for you are stronger than I thought they actually were. You were always here for me, you've never left me, you've always cared about me... Your feelings for me have never changed, even though I didn't return them. I kept rejecting you because I thought I was in love with Adrien, I was blinded and didn't see the guy who's truly loved me and been right next to me this entire time... I thought of you as my partner, my friend...but now I know that... _You mean a lot more than that to me_..." Ladybug spoke, blushing. "I...I wanted to be honest with you... I just can't keep pretending anymore. You deserve _so_ much, don't _ever_ doubt that. You are the best person I've ever met and... I love you, Chat."

He couldn't believe his own ears. Was this a dream? This had to be a dream!... No. Everything felt too real. It was almost too good to be true, yet here she was, his Lady, his Ladybug, confessing her love to him. _To Chat Noir_. After such a long time...she's actually fallen for him! She's fallen for his true self like nobody else did before. He had so many fangirls as Adrien who claimed to love him, when all they were really in love with was the perfect invisible 'mask' he was forced to wear in public everyday, while being his civilian self. Ironically, when he did put on the real mask as Chat Noir and became himself, no one seemed to adore him the same way anymore. He had felt like a different person. But when Ladybug told him she loves Adrien and now him as Chat Noir, _it was like he finally became one_. Although she doesn't know who he is, she was still able to see through, to see and fall in love with the person underneath. _She is the only girl that has ever fallen for him as a whole_. He couldn't describe the amount of happiness he had felt at that moment. He felt like the happiest man alive. Because this was the girl he has been in love with for years. _And now_... _she loves him back_... _Truly_. 

He could feel tears of happiness form in his eyes, as he simply continued to glare at her without words, still not really believing the reality of the situation. He looked touched and flattered, yet utterly stunned.

"Oh my god, Chat, are you crying?!" Ladybug blurted out worriedly, Chat letting go of her. He made a step backwards and rubbed his eyes with his forearm, his facial expression lit up by a wide smile.

"Sorry, I just... I can't believe it. All those words you just said... Do you... You really mean that?..." He finally found the ability to speak. Ladybug stepped closer to him with the warmest smile on her lips. The sincere look on her face was enough to answer him his question even before she spoke. She raised her hand and cupped his cheek, running her thumb up and down several times over his skin. _Oh, how long he's been pining for her touch_. He nuzzled his face against her palm, as he brought up his own on top of it.

"Of course I do, silly..." She said soothingly after a short giggle escaped her. The tone of her voice... It was like the most calming tune to Chat's ears. He immediately felt assured and at ease. As long as she was there, he knew he'd feel good. They were here together, her and him, and that was all he could care about at the moment, all that mattered to him.

"I love you too." He breathed. And then, neither of them hesitating anymore, they both leaned in for another kiss, their lips connecting once again.

  
The concert has probably already ended a while ago, because the streets of Paris and the night zephyr was everything that could be heard around. The two superheroes stayed on the same roof the whole time, as their tongues continued to dance around each other passionately. _It was as if after such a long time, the two of them had finally found each other_.

Ladybug felt the familiar heat fill her core, while she felt Chat's gloved hands grip her hips, who tried to be as careful with his claws as he could. He pulled her closer, pressing her flesh against his. She grabbed his bell and before long, without even knowing how, they both ended up on the ground, still mutually wrapped in each other's arms. Ladybug sat on Chat's lap, her thighs on either side of his flanks. Legs crossed under her, Chat let his hands slide along her curves slowly, whereas Ladybug's one palm remained on his shoulder, his bell still clutched in her other one.

Soon Chat's brows knitted together, he almost started having trouble keeping up with the kissing. Once their mouths finally parted, he took a heavy breath and rested his forehead against hers, both of their hearts racing. At this stage, he was sure his face must've been completely flushed. He felt hot... But that wasn't all. It wasn't only heat that Ladybug's closeness has sent through him, but also an uncontrollable arousal. And with her sitting on him like she did, oh man... He knew what would come next.

His gaze fell down on her right hand, which, much to his surprise, started pulling his bell down, unzipping his suit and slowly revealing his bare skin, the chilly night air causing him to shudder. Ladybug squirmed a little, as she leaned down and started to kiss him on the neck, a bit above his clavicle, while her hand tenderly wandered over the part of his exposed chest. Chat's head fell back in pleasure for a while... Because damn, no matter how many fantasies he has had about Ladybug before, not even a single one of them could compare to the real deal. Actually, he still couldn't believe that this _indeed was_ the real deal. How did they even get there in the first place...? He felt like he could no longer even think straight. This was happening _now_ and his mind simply couldn't go elsewhere. It was all like a dream he didn't want to wake up from.

His mouth agape, Ladybug's warm touches and kisses caused him to sigh softly a few times. He was _certainly_ hard by now... He could feel it and he knew she could too.

Suddenly he just couldn't take it anymore. Her teasing him by grinding her hips against him was just too much for him to handle. It was driving him crazy. _She_ was driving him crazy.

In a split of a second, something like a force of desire completely overtook him. He groaned before pushing Ladybug non-strongly to the ground, climbing on top of her with almost animal-like lust.

"Chat!" She momentarily squeaked because of his doings.

"A bit eager, aren't we?~" He asked huskily.

Ladybug blushed uncontrollably, looking anywhere but at him. "Maybe." She blurted out quietly, saying the word as fast as she could manage. The way she was flustered and embarrassed made him smile lovingly. _Oh, how he loved this girl_.

"I like that." He whispered in response close to her ear, steadying himself on his forearms, sending shivers all over her body.

After that, their lips met once again, as Ladybug wrapped her legs around Chat's hips, her hands on his back. Chat's suit was beginning to feel _particularly_ tight on a certain place. It wasn't uncomfortable, but it wasn't extremely pleasant, either. A part of him yearned for their magical suits to be gone, so that nothing would be separating them, yet on the other side, he knew they probably wouldn't be ready for such a thing. Maybe he would, but he wasn't sure about Ladybug. He would never force her into anything she wouldn't want or wasn't ready for. It's not like it was even possible right now though. Unless they'd both detransform, which just wasn't an option.

"Ch-Chat..." Ladybug whimpered under him, her fingertips digging into his back the exact same time he had bucked his hips. All his senses craved for more... And with the way she held him close, it was hard for him to resist the urge to do so.

God, why was she looking so _irresistible?_... Her cheeks were crimson red, her pupils were dilated and her eyes glossy, her hair, which she has always kept in pigtails, was now messy... The intense heaving of her beautiful chest... He wanted to make her feel good, as good as he possibly could in the moment. He wanted to show her the world... _Because she was his whole world_. 

"You're so beautiful." He murmured, closing his eyes and burying his face below the spot where the end of her jaw and her ear met, pressing his lips and nose against her skin. He took in her alluring scent by an inhale through his nostrils... She smelled so nice...it reminded him of strawberries. He let her fragrance fill his lungs, as he started to gently suck onto her neck, using his tongue and later even a bit of teeth. He was careful not to leave a mark, he knew she would probably have some _serious_ and _unpleasant_ explaining to do as a civilian if he did. He didn't even know how, but at least he could still think racionally when it came to leaving hickeys.

Ladybug turned her head to the side, allowing him a better acces, letting out a small moan. He took that as a signal to not stop, as a signal that she liked what he was doing. With his hand he continued to explore her body, while hers explored his, particularly his muscled arms and chest. After a while his palm moved slowly and hesitantly towards her breast...

 _Can I...?_ He thought to himself, lifting his head up from her neck for a second to see her reaction. Before he could think about it too much, he got the answer.

"Ye-yes... Chat, p-please, touch me there..." Ladybug whined, her voice shaky. Chat couldn't help but to blush heavily once he heard her say those words. Up until now, he didn't think he would ever hear something like that from his Lady. He would lie if he said it didn't turn him on even more...

And so eventually, he cupped her whole breast with his palm, Ladybug pulling him in for yet another kiss, as she arched her back slightly, pushing her chest against his hand even more. The amount of arousal rushing through his veins was now almost indescribable. It was getting really frustrating... His body desperately longed for satisfaction at this point. When Ladybug tightened the grip of her legs around him, she ended up swallowing a loud frustrated moan coming out of his mouth. All this teasing, even if unintentional...was making things extra _hard_ for him. As if he had lost control over his own body, he began to thurst his hips.

"Ah-hah!" Ladybug blurted out in response, holding firmly onto him.

Chat's breathing became heavier with each breath he took... All the excitement and sensations were overwhelming him... He could not only hear his quick heartbeat, but also hers.

What he overheard however, was that his ring has already beeped for the second time by then. Only when it happened for the third time and this time it was actually louder, he finally noticed.

 _What the... You've got to be kidding me!_ He thought, pausing all his movements. _He had exactly 2 minutes left before detransforming_. How? He hadn't used Cataclysm! Did Plagg have something to do with this?...

He didn't want to go. He couldn't. No, not now. He couldn't just leave her like that. When they were... _like this_. He wanted to stay...

Suddenly Ladybug gripped his both shoulders. "Chat... You should go before you transform back..." She breathed, looking him in the eyes.

"But I don't want to leave you..." Chat resisted in a low voice, full of want, snuggling up to her once more.

"I know... Me neither..." She replied. "But...we can't..." She added with a disappointed sigh and although she felt bad for doing it, she still pushed him off of her. Chat whined unapprovingly as she did so, but didn't oppose her actions. "...I'll see you tomorrow, okay?" She said, standing up.

Chat observed her quietly for a while, then also stood up with a sigh. "Okay..."

He wasn't going to admit it to her, but their sudden separation felt terrible for him. Psychically _and_ physically. His lower part was _burning_ , _itching_ , aching for any sort of relief. _God, how he wanted her to touch him there_.

Ladybug stepped closer to him, carefully zipping his suit back up by his bell, following the trail with her gaze. His eyes closed and his mouth ajar, he felt her kiss him on the cheek, while more tingles washed over his skin from his toes to the tips of his fingers. By the time he had managed to snap out of his daze and open them again, she'd already ran away and was nowhere to be seen. _Oh, he was going to show Plagg what a hell beyond hell feels like after this_. This was the worst possible moment he could've ever interrupted between them. But first he knew he needed to get home and take a nice, long, cold shower... And well...take care of his one certain...unceasing male problem. Because as of just now, he was nowhere close to feeling calm. His mind, nor his body.

  
Thankfully, it took him just minute or so to get home, since the Agreste's mansion wasn't that far away. His transformation wore off by itself the exact same time he had jumped through his opened window. Plagg, who emerged from his Miraculous, immediately flew towards Adrien's white couch. He landed with an exhausted groan, Adrien shooting him an annoyed glare.

"Seriously, Plagg? You just couldn't have chosen a worse time, could you?"

Plagg turned around to look at him with the most bored expression. "Seriously, kid? First of all - I got hungry. And second - do you really think I would just let you do _that_ into the suit? Nah, sorry, but I think I'm good. I would appreciate it if you would just kindly leave me out of your gross human habits and tendencies, thanks a lot." He replied. Adrien's brows raised, his cheeks turned redder in an instant. He had to admit that he didn't expect this kind of 'justification' from his kwami...and it made him feel kinda awkward.

He cleared his throat and rubbed the back of his neck. "Oh, um... Well, that's reasonable, I guess..." Great. It was _him_ who was supposed to have the upper hand in this conversation, yet now he is the one being disgraced for being a human? He is now a grown young man, he shouldn't feel embarrassed about these things! After all, they're completely natural for someone his age. Still, the way Plagg said it out loud caused him to feel quite... Let's say abashed at least. But there was one thing Adrien realized his kwami was right about - even _he_ would never want Plagg to be a part of something like... _that_. He had to give him that.

The little god examined him with his cat-like green eyes from his head down to his feet before speaking up. "Geez, yeah, I get it. Just go and do it already. You look like you're about to explode."

Right. Plagg and his opinion should be the last thing on his mind right now. Actually, he couldn't care less. Just a few minutes ago, he literally _made out with Ladybug_ , who _confessed her love_ to him! His Lady was everything he could think of at the moment. If only he could see her again... Hear her voice, feel her touch, smell her scent... Damn, he _really_ needed that private time. And so, without saying another word, he headed towards his bathroom - he just wasn't going to stay with Plagg in the same room any longer. 

  
Right after he finally undid his belt and removed his jeans, which ended up on the ground together with his shorts, Adrien was sure he wasn't going to last long... The amount of satisfaction and relief that came just from his own touch alone was probably the biggest he's felt in a while.

"Ah, shoot..." He groaned in a shaky voice and began to slowly move his hand up and down across his length, while more sweat started coming down his forehead.

Quickening his pace and his muscles tensing, his soft moans and whines echoing through the room soon became louder - with each passing second, he felt himself getting closer and closer. Once again, he thought of the time when they were together, of Ladybug's confession, her beautiful voice, her perfect body,... How much he loved and wanted her. He wanted to make her his... He just wanted her close again, more than anything in the world. If only she could be there with him and...

Adrien slapped his free palm over his mouth to prevent himself from screaming out, his eyes tightly shut. Imagining Ladybug's hand instead of his was what really pushed him towards the so-desired edge. He was so close now. _So close_.

Back pressed against the shower wall and his mind filled with her and only her, he just couldn't help but to scream her name, his head falling back from the pleasure as he came.

"L-Ladybug...!" He cried out, involuntarily pushing his hips several times against his hand in the process.

  
By the time Ladybug had arrived home it was already past midnight. The city was already calm and quiet, the yellowish lighting of the street lamps warming and brightening the cold and dark setting of the night. Yellows and golds glistened off of anything and everything. The stores, the hotels, the restaurants... The deep inky black night sky was so different to the bright streets below it. A few raindrops have caused small puddles to form on the ground, as the water shone on the pavement and reflected the vivid lights. You could feel romance on almost every corner - this was the City of love after all. Just the sight itself was romantic.

But Ladybug's mind didn't allow her to focus on or admire any of this. Her thoughts laid on only one thing - well, more percisely, one person - _and that person was Chat_. Everything that has just happened between them, the dance, how they were so close to each other and she felt _all_ of him, how passionate and warm their kisses were, how his tender touches felt,... She could still clearly hear his voice ring in her ears, every word he'd said, all of his soft sighs and moans which lodged in her memory. The fact that she was the one to get those sounds out of him made her blush over and over. She was the one to leave first, even though she wanted to stay with him _so badly_. She felt terrible for leaving him in such a state. She was fully aware of the suffering she must have caused to him by leaving him so soon, she had felt the same, but what other option did she have?... He was about to transform back...! It was essential. _Right?..._

Still, this had to be their hardest parting yet, for both of them. She needed to see him again soon. 


	14. The distance between us

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adrien makes an important decision regarding his secret identity. And Marinette just can't get Chat Noir out of her mind... Not today, not last night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! So after like 3 decades, I am FINALLY back with another chapter (*an applause please*).  
> Yay.  
> Anyway, thank you for reading, hope you enjoy!

Sunday afternoon, Adrien sat at his desk, trying to focus on doing the homework he had to get done. It was actually a physics homework, which he would normally have no problem with, yet for some reason, this time he felt powerless. Maybe it was because his mind was full of thoughts. A lot of thoughts. He barely slept at night, cause he could only think of what happened yesterday with Ladybug. But he also coudn't help but to think about how things are going to be from now on. He should be happy, Ladybug loves him back! He's been waiting for this moment since the very start! For her to genuinely return his feelings and love him for who he is. So why didn't he feel this way?... Why did he feel more like... _torn, desparate?_...

Because he wanted to know. He's always wanted to know who the girl behind the red spotted mask was, the girl he's loved and fought villains with for years without even knowing such simple things about her like her favourite color or her hobbies. And now...he wanted to know more than ever. He wanted to get to know _her as a person_. He wanted to know what she liked to do in her free time, what type of student she was, her favourite movies and songs, her favourite subject at school, her favourite type of food or the countries she would like to visit sometime. Did she scribble on her school desk when she was bored? Did she like to sing to herself when no one else was around? Did she like to enjoy the view of an sunset from her room's window? What was the place she enjoyed going to with her friends the most?...

He wanted to know everything about her, no matter how tiny or even silly those things might be. He wanted to know who she was, and he wanted her to know who he was, too. Especially when he and Chat Noir are the same person. Ever since _that evening on the Eiffel tower_ , when he found out to be the guy Ladybug's been in love with, he knew it'd be hard for him to keep it a secret in front of her. He was certain, even by then, that at some point, unless he would somehow accidentally spill the beans sooner, he would have to tell her the truth.

And he felt like that time...was _now_. He's been waiting for her to fall in love with his true self - and it happened! He could no longer lie to her or pretend not to be someone he is. He loves her a she loves him, being honest with her is the least he should do, or at least _he_ thinks it would be the right thing now to finally tell her. And even though revealing their secret identities might be dangerous and he knows it, he could just never start a relationship with her based on a lie. Also, if they're going to date, they should truly get to know and accept their civilian selves, together with their personal lifes as well. And he is willing to do whatever it takes to gain her absolute trust and possibly her consent.

If there's something Adrien desires more than anything right now, it's to be able to take his Lady on a real date, be a _real_ all-in couple. With all the pros and cons, with all the benefits and obstructions. To be able to see one another whenever they chose, be able to spend as much time with each other as they wished, do whatever they wanted whenever they wanted. Not just with the masks, but without them, too. Just...be together as two completely ordinary people in love. Without having to worry about Hawkmoth, nor the whole secret-identities-thing, which literally creates this _wall_ between them they can't go through. Oh, if only that was possible. It all might be a bit risky, yes, but on the other hand, wouldn't this strengthen their bond even more, making them even stronger as heroes...?

  
 _Is it really that much to ask for?... It's been so long... Isn't this the right time to finally really open up to each other?... No one else would ever know... There has to be a way how to make this work..._ Adrien continued to wonder, resting his chin on his palm as he glared into nothing, meanwhile he unknowingly repeatedly kept hitting the table with a pen tip.

When the annoying sound didn't seem to stop even after several minutes, Plagg, who tried to rest with a piece of camembert by his side nearby, lost his patience by right.

"Could you stop doing that for...FIVE. MINUTES?!" He blurted out, fed up with Adrien's unability of using the pen in a way he was supposed to. The blond ignored him at first, but sighed eventually, while he pushed himself away from his desk, leaning back into his chair more.

"Sorry, I keep thinkin'..." He began and ran his fingers through his hair.

Plagg then also sighed heavily, he seemed to accept his fate as Adrien's adviser for the next hour or two. Well, at best hour or two. "About...?" He added inquiringly.

Adrien stayed quiet for a few seconds. It wasn't because he would be unsure about his decision or anything, neither because he wouldn't know how to phrase it into words, he just wanted the situation to gain as much seriousness as possible. For this _was_ indeed serious, and he needed Plagg to take it that way. He knew that before discussing it with Ladybug, he had to tell _him_ as his kwami preferentially.

"I am going to tell her." He breathed with determination definitively. Plagg's one brow raised in confusion.

"Tell what who?"

"I am going to tell Ladybug that Adrien Agreste is Chat Noir."

Plagg almost choked on his camembert.

"W-WHAT?! A-ARE YOU INSANE?!" He shouted, Adrien shushing him immediately. "Adrien, you know you are not supposed to know each other's-"

"Secret identities, yeah, I know. And I also know and understand why, Plagg. That it might be dangerous if someone would find out, especially Hawkmoth. But I just can't lie to her any longer, I-I want her to know the truth about who I am, to get to know the _whole me_. It doesn't mean _she_ has to show me _her_ identity, that's up to her, though if we're going to be a couple, I think it would only make us stronger! Nobody else would know, only us two. I know we're superheroes and we shouldn't take any risks, but if this can bring us closer, then I am willing to take all the responsibility and face whatever consequences, do whatever it takes - just so we can truly be together, because I'm sure that's what she would want, too. Whoever she is, I love her Plagg, she's more important to me than anything on this planet. And no matter the obstacles the future might bring upon us, _nothing_ will ever change that. I want to and always will be by her side. I want to be honest with her, to prove to her that she can trust me through anything, to show her that together...we can do it." Adrien spoke. "That's why I am going to tell her... I've already made up my mind. It's up to you if you'll support me or not."

Plagg simply stared at him for a while, as if he was trying to find the right words. "Right... *sigh* Look kid, I get that you'd rather let the cat out of the bag, also that you want to know who she is and uh...well, be with her and all that human stuff, but you can't just tell her your identity just like that-"

"Yes I can. With her consent first of course."

"Adrien."

"Yes?"

"...I guess you're being serious, huh? Fine then, lemme tell you this... As your kwami, unfortunately it's my duty to watch over you-"

"What do you mean 'unfortunately'?" Adrien interrupted him again. Plagg cleared his throat.

"Erm anywayyy... The rule of the secret identities is something I didn't come up with- Though it exists for your and your loved one's safety, which you surely already know. But as I said, I didn't come up with this rule, soo...I don't think I am the one right now who should be holding you back. Ladybug's the guardian after all, she should know what's best. And if you really want it that way, then...what can I do. It's your decision. And hers. I just hope that you know what you're doing." Plagg, who firstly didn't look convinced at all, told him, giving in to Adrien's decision in the end. He didn't completely agree with what his holder was about to do, but concluded that trying to prevent him from doing it would probably be worthless. In fact, it's about time the two idiots would finally find out. Plagg's always supported the idea, so he was surprised he _actually_ made an _actual_ effort and tried to talk to him about it. Hopefully Tikki wasn't going to kill him after this...

"I do... I am going to talk to her about it the next time I see her. I'm sure we can work this out somehow." Adrien replied. "Thanks for...not stopping me, I guess." He chuckled.

"Don't make me regret it." Plagg breathed in response. "And now, if you'll excuse me, I would like to take a nap."

Adrien rolled his eyes. "Sure, yeah, go ahead. I still have got some homework to do." He said airily, while waving his hand in the air a few times as to encourage him, turning around back to his desk with his chair. It was true - if he was going on a patrol tonight, he had to get it finished. At least it was just physics.

  
Marinette almost didn't sleep at all. She had trouble falling asleep, since she just couldn't calm her brain. It was crazy how many times she's replayed the whole scenario from yesterday's evening in her head, just to recall all those nice feelings she'd felt. But what was even CRAZIER was the fact that this was probably her first night during which she thought of Chat Noir _way_ more than Adrien, if she thought about _him_ at all. She would never reckon that Chat could occupy her mind so much just within few hours. He was literally the only thing she could think about...!

And it was so new...because she didn't think of him in terms of 'my friend and partner' or 'our plans for the patrol' or 'our superhero job' or 'Hawkmoth's defeat'...any of these usual subjects she's associated with him. She thought of him as someone who she was genuinely interested in and emotionally and physically attracted to. For the first time in her life, she fully perceived him as a representative of the opposite sex, _as a male_ , someone she could potentially be romantically and...well, sexually involved with. She's never felt this amount of attraction and an actual desire towards him like she did now. Ever.

Though now it just felt so... _natural_. She had the biggest need to be with him, to be close to him... To just feel his presence and closeness. She just missed him so much...all of him. It was like a part of her was suddenly missing when he was not around... _That piece of her heart only he could fill_. He's always been sort of like her other half, but now this statement's acquired a whole new level of meaning. She's fallen for him, and it's safe to say she's fallen hard. Harder than she was aware of up until last night, when she realized how deep her feelings for him actually are. Was this what the _real_ love felt like...?

  
Before she knew it, her hand was buried in between her thighs. She didn't do this often, but this time she just couldn't help it. It just felt like such an obvious and natural thing for her to do in that moment. She wanted him close again, but she couldn't have him. She wanted to feel his touch, but he wasn't there. She wanted to hear his soothing voice, but she was alone. And so her fantasy became the one and only thing she had left. And well...her own fingers.

"...Mmhh...Chat..." She moaned his name softly, as if subconsciously wishing he could hear her and come to her, as if craving for him to hear her 'call' and find her. The thought that he was somewhere out there, yet not with her, was so frustrating. She knew now she wanted him. As much as a girl can want a guy. In every sense of the word.

As she continued to touch herself, her mind shifted somewhere rather...dangerous. In her fantasy, Chat was not wearing his suit, nor his mask. The first part wasn't that difficult to imagine, since she's already seen him with his suit completely unzipped, but the second part was a problem. She didn't even realize - but she has no idea how he looks without his mask. Guess she's never really thought about it up until now... No need to say that this was her first ever fantasy like that about Chat. And so her mind automatically started to generate different visions of his face, though none of them felt right. Hell, she didn't even know what his real eyes looked like!...

Actually...there were a lot of things she still didn't know about him. Just like he'd said...

_"There are a lot of things you still don't know about me, M'lady."_

She remembered his line from yesterday. And only now she's realized how much true it was. He is so close to her, yet seems distant, so...far away. It's like, when she looks at him, he's standing right next to her, but at the same time, it's like he's standing on the other side of the world. Like if she was reaching out with her hand to hold his, knowing he couldn't do the same, while being right next to each other. Like she knew him, yet not at all. It was such a weird feeling, nothing like she's ever experienced.

 _It's all because of our secret identities, that's why I feel like this..._ She gave herself the clear answer. But it's surely not just her who feels this way, Chat probably feels it too. God, he's probably felt like this ever since he's fallen in love with her... Marinette now understood how he must've felt all these years. Suddenly all of the times when he desperately tried to convince her about revealing their identities didn't seem so baffling anymore. In fact, they were more than understandable to her now. _It's actually terrible! How could he put up with it for so long?..._

It's different to her situation with Adrien. She's always thought Chat was going through something similar like her, but this was different. She had the opportunity to get close to Adrien, to really get to know him, to learn about his likes, his life,... Damn, maybe she could've gone on a date with him if she would've gotten brave enough to ask him or tell him how she really felt! She was over him now, but still. Chat couldn't really do any of that. Sure, he could get close to her to a certain extent - and he is probably as close to her as he possibly can - but it's not the same. And even though he was brave enough to tell her his feelings and ask her out, he can't have a real date with her. Or at least not a date that isn't out-on-a-rooftop-at-night kind of style. It's not like she wouldn't like it or find it romantic in any way, it's the opposite really. However, sometimes things need to be a bit more...ordinary, per say.

The place isn't the most important thing about a date, if you really care about the person you're with, you're glad and happy to be with them, whenever that might be. The main purpose of a date is to spend time with the person you're interested in, to talk together and learn more about yourselves, your life, your interests, your hobbies...and much more. That's something that was impossible for her and Chat to do at the moment without revealing their identities. And it was disappointing, considering that they've known each other for so long, but they were never able to even reach a point where they could just sit down and talk about themselves as two normal people.

There were so many things they didn't know about each other...and Marinette wants to learn those things about him. Actually, she is scared she might never get the chance to learn them in the first place. And she's almost certain that Chat must feel the same way about her. He always must've felt the actual distance that is between them and the urge to just break through it. To break the distance that prevents them from getting closer. And now when they were mutually in love, that distance seemed even bigger than before... It is indeed terrible knowing you love someone, but they can't truly be yours...

 _Who is he?_ Marinette couldn't avoid certain questions in her head. _What is he like as a civilian? Does he usually joke around and make puns? Is he popular at school, a troublemaker, or is he more of a quiet type, who comes to life only in the circle of his close friends? Does he like cats? Does he like black cats?-_ She couldn't stop her train of thought.

_What would he do if he was with me now? What would he like? Does he...want me?..._

More and more questions started to pop up in her mind, with her suddenly feeling like she wanted answers to every single one of them. If only he could be there with her right now... _If only he could be there with her and truly make her 'his Lady'_. Because that's what Marinette yearned. _She yearned his love_... _and she wanted to be his_...

"Ch-Chat... Chat, Chat, Chat!!" She suddenly cried out with a whine, as she felt herself getting close to her peak. Well, that came out a little louder than intended... Luckily Tikki had noticed a while ago what was up, so there was no one to hear her.

With her eyelids tightly shut, she saw this vibrant, glowing pair of green eyes - Chat's eyes - in front of her, staring at her in the blackness, looking at her in a way she couldn't put into words. That look, that expression that emanated genuine admiration, amorousness, awe and desire towards her... There was something about it, something that always completely enchanted her, something that just put her into this daze and made her heart beat faster and-

"Ah, I'm...I'm going to-" She blurted out, gasping for some air.

Her whole body started shaking and she could feel a tensing sensation inside of her, her muscles tightening. She thought about his eyes, just his eyes... Before a sudden wave of warmth and pleasure overwhelmed her entirely, leaving her breathless.


End file.
